Parallel Worlds
by blissfulnightsecret
Summary: Allegra has had her life affected by the war against Voldemort just as much as any other wizard. But now she has something that Voldemort wants, and Harry's life and the Wizarding World are at stake. She will stop at nothing to save the ones she loves.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Allegra and Blaise waved goodbye to their fathers as the Hogwarts Express pulled away from the platform. They were finally on their way to start their first year of Hogwarts, it was something they had been waiting for for as long as they could remember. There had never been any question in their minds of going elsewhere, they were not even sure if there was another school to go to. Every wizard they knew had been to Hogwarts, and they certainly did not intend to be any different.

'Finally,' Blaise grinned at her, flicking his dark brown hair out of his face. 'let's go inside.' Allegra followed Blaise into the cabin quickly, there were so many older children out in the halls she was afraid of getting in someone's way. Blaise had already found one of his friends on the platform, and he was sitting in the cabin watching them down his nose.

'Hurry up, Blaise,' The blonde boy snapped at her friend. Allegra had never had much time for the boy, on the few occasions she had met him previously he had been rude and obnoxious. Allegra felt his eyes on her back as she lifted her owl's cage onto the seat next to her.

'You're meant to put your owl on the hooks,' Allegra turned to Draco first, and then looked up at where he was pointing. Up above the window were four hooks with just enough space in between each to fit the average sized owl cage. Draco had put his owl on the closest hook to the seats where he was sitting. He had obviously stood on the bench to get it up that high.

'I can't reach up there.' Allegra stated, sitting down on the seat next to her owl. There was barely a chance of her being able to reach the hooks, let alone lift her owl up onto them, even if she did stand on the bench. Draco scanned his eyes over her with a sneer, once he had decided that she was indeed too small to reach the hooks, he turned his gaze to Blaise.

'I know we're going to be in Slytherin, Blaise, I don't know how we couldn't be. Everyone in our families have been, and my father said that it would be a crime to put us anywhere else. We wouldn't be reaching our potential.' Allegra wanted to roll her eyes. She had unfortunately met Malfoy's father once during a stay at Blaise's mother's home. He had been a scary looking man who seemed to think a lot of himself, something Draco had inherited. Draco's ice blue eyes connected with Allegra's emerald eyes.

'Where your mum and dad?' He asked.

'They were both in Gryffindor.' Draco immediately looked at her with such disrespect that she would have been hurt, if it was anyone else. Blaise had warned her many times to ignore him.

'Oh, well -'

'She could be in Slytherin,' Blaise defended. 'She's just like us.'

'Let's hope so.' Draco stuck his nose in the air and looked out of the window. Blaise smiled at her, and Allegra returned it. She turned to her bag to find a book, fully intending to ignore Draco Malfoy for the rest of the trip.

Luckily for Allegra, Draco had left with two repulsive boys shortly before the end of the trip, leaving Blaise and Allegra to get off the train alone. They stepped out together onto the cold dark platform, into the bustling crowd of students. Blaise sensed that Allegra was nervous about getting lost, and so took hold of her robe's sleeve to tow her along behind him.

'Firs' years! Firs' years!' Blaise dragged her towards a huge man holding a lantern high above their heads. 'C'mon, follow me!' The two of them joined the large crowd following the large man down a slippery dark path. Allegra took hold of Blaise's arm, the last thing she wanted was to be separated from him or worse, be known as the girl who tripped. The path opened up to reveal a large black lake, reflecting the moonlight and reflection from the castle all around them. 'No more'n four to a boat!'

Blaise hurried into the closest boat, then turned to help Allegra get her little legs over the edge. Two other girls followed them, both pale white from fright and eyes wide with awe.

'Everyone in?' The large man shouted, receiving no reply. 'Right then - FORWARD!' Suddenly the boat jolted forwards, and then glided over the water like black ice. They sailed in beneath the cliff face, pulling up at a small harbour. All the first years followed Hagrid up a small stone path, until they reached a courtyard and a huge wooden door, far bigger than Allegra had ever seen before. The door swung open at once to reveal a witch in emerald green robes, her black hair bundled tightly on the top of her head. She stood back and all the first years filed into the entrance hall and took in the surroundings in no more than hushed whispers.

'Welcome to Hogwarts, I'm Professor McGonagall.' The children fell silent at once. 'The start of term banquet will start shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you're waiting.' Her eyes scanned over a few of the students who looked as though they hadn't dressed themselves before. Allegra ran her hands through her long dark brown hair and tried to prevent her fringe from being too bouncy. It had a tendency to do whatever it wished. 'I shall return when we are ready for you, please wait quietly.' Professor McGonagall disappeared inside the Great Hall.

'I'm nervous,' Allegra admitted at a whisper in Blaise's ear.

'It'll be fine.' He reassured. 'I'm sure we'll both be in Slytherin.' Allegra smiled, but she couldn't help remembering Draco's taunts from on the train. He didn't seem to think she'd be in Slytherin. Suddenly around twenty ghosts appeared through the back wall and several people behind her shrieked. Allegra rolled her eyes.

'Muggleborns,' she muttered with a smirk to Blaise, a ghost was nothing new to either of them.

'Now, form a line,' McGonagall had reappeared. 'and follow me.' The first years bustled into some sort of a line, suddenly the tension was extremely high, and Allegra could feel her heart going at the speed of light. Allegra followed Blaise into a huge hall, candles floated above four long tables and above them a night sky floated below the roof of the hall. The tables were littered with glittering sliver and gold cutlery, goblets and more. Allegra turned her attention to McGonagall at the front of the Hall, who was setting out a small four legged stool at the front of the line. On top of the stool, she placed an old fashioned leather wizards hat, just like the hat her father hat told her about. The whole room waited patiently, staring at the hat, then it opened it's mouth wide, and it began to sing. It sang about itself, the four houses and who belonged in each. Allegra couldn't decide between Gryffindor and Slytherin, she knew she wouldn't be patient enough for Hufflepuff, and not wise enough for Ravenclaw.

McGonagall stepped forward with a long piece of parchment. 'When I call your name, you will step up, put the hat on and sit down on the stool. Abbott, Hannah!' A small girl stumbled out of line, put on the hat - which fell down over her eyes - and sat down. Barely a moment passed before the hat shouted: 'HUFFLEPUFF!' A table to Allegra's right cheers, and Hannah jumped up and skipped to sit down. Allegra watched a few more go, she knew she'd be soon. Her surname was Boone, that was only B. Blaise had until Z to wait, she wasn't sure which she preferred.

'Boone, Allegra!' Her heart went a mile a minute as she felt her cheeks redden. Blaise shot her a quick smile and then she walked quickly forward and up to the stool. She picked up the old worn out hat and placed it on her head. As soon has she sat down the hat fell down over her eyes, and she wasn't sure whether she liked not having to look out over all the other students.

'Difficult,' Allegra jumped a little as a deep voice spoke into her ear, despite her father's warning. 'Slytherin or Gryffindor, that's the question... I'm not sure that you're cunning enough for Slytherin, although I can see it in you...' Allegra stayed quiet waiting.

'GRYFFINDOR!' Suddenly the hat was removed from her head and she felt her fringe fly wildly for being let free. A table to her far right cheered, and she walked quickly to join them. She was congratulated by various people she'd never seen before, however she could see Ron's older brothers only a little way up the table waving frantically at her. She sighed in relief and waved happily back. At least she had a few friends in her house already. She waited patiently for someone to be sorted that would take the seat next to her.

'Granger, Hermione!' A girl with bushy brown fly away hair sat down on the stool.

'GRYFFINDOR!' Allegra cheered along with her new house mates, and smiled at the girl when she slid onto the bench next to her.

'Malfoy, Draco!' She hadn't had to wait long for the name she recognised. Draco strutted up to the stool, as she had expected. The hat had barely touched his head when it shouted, 'SLYTHERIN!' Draco wore a smug smile as he sauntered over to the Slytherin table. Allegra felt glad that she wasn't in his house, despite how keen Blaise had been on her being in that house.

The next name she recognised caused her to gasp. 'Potter, Harry!' The girl next to her swished her bushy hair round to look at her.

'Why is everyone whispering?' She asked, Allegra realised that Hermione must be a muggleborn.

'Harry Potter is a famous wizard, he lived when you-know-who attacked him!'

'No, I don't know who -' Hermione was cut off as the hat shouted, 'GRYFFINDOR!' Harry walked, glowing bright red, to sit opposite them. Allegra tried not to stare at Harry's forehead. When she noticed that he was looking uncomfortable, she turned her attention back to the sorting.

Soon it was Ron's turn. 'Weasley, Ron!' She watched eagerly in hope that her friend would follow all five of his other brother's footsteps. The hat didn't have to think long, it soon shouted, 'GRYFFINDOR!' Allegra clapped and grinned as she watched Ron walk down Harry's side of the table. She noticed how happy Harry was that Ron had been sorted into Gryffindor.

'Do you know Ron, too?' She asked with a smile.

'Yes - well, I met him on the train.' Ron took a seat next to Harry, squeezing in between him and another black haired boy with large front teeth.

'Allegra!' Ron grinned. 'I'm so glad your in Gryffindor!' Allegra just nodded, the hall was quieting down again so the sorting could carry on.

'Zambini, Blaise,' Allegra whipped her head round just as Blaise sat down on the stool. The hat thought for a moment and then shouted, 'Slytherin!' Blaise grinned and took a seat next to Draco. When the hall quieted back down, Allegra caught his gaze. They both looked sadly at each other. They were aware of the house rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, how were they going to stay friends?

'Allegra, Mum was looking for you when we were on the platform, Ginny was really upset that she didn't get to say goodbye.' Allegra turned her gaze away from Blaise, and onto Ron.


	2. The Real Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: **

'Get up!' Hermione shouted, bouncing the end of Allegra's bed vigorously, trying to get her to stir. Allegra rolled over to look at Hermione, shielding her eyes with her forearm.

'What time is it?'

'6.30,' Hermione snapped, Allegra gasped but Hermione didn't notice, 'barely enough time for you to get up and get ready for your first day of lessons.'

'Hermione,' Allegra growled a little, but nothing was going to stop her. Hermione started tugging at her duvet, 'get up - get up - into the shower!'

Allegra got up, albeit reluctantly. Hermione was always a little over excited on the first day back at school, but she didn't normally attempt to physically pull Allegra from her bed.

Once Allegra was ready, Hermione herded her down the stairs and into the common room. Unsurprisingly, the only people in the common room were a handful of first years as excited as Hermione to be starting their lessons. The difference was they could be forgiven: they couldn't do magic yet.

Hermione dragged Allegra all the way to the doors of the Great Hall, where she released Allegra from her clutches and made off towards Professor McGonagall with a determined expression.

'What's up with her?' Ron asked, appearing at her side with Harry not far behind.

'Same old race-for-the-timetable, thing.' Ron nodded, and the three friends headed for the Gryffindor table. Hermione had already sat down, timetable in hand. Harry took the seat next to her, and Ron and Allegra sat opposite.

Allegra began nibbling on a slice of jam toast and watched the sprinkling of other students across the hall. Students began to trickle in, sleepily rubbing their eyes. Soon, Professor McGonagall had come down to give Harry, Ron and Allegra their timetables. It wasn't good.

'Oh, why me?' Allegra moaned, letting her head drop to the table with a thud.

'Do you have double potions first thing, too?' Ron asked.

'Oh, thank god, Ron,' Allegra smiled, although neither looked very pleased about the two hour lesson they were about to endure with Professor Snape.

'Line up against the wall.' Snape ordered as the students entered the classroom. 'This year, I have been told that we are trying to improve inter-house relationships, so unfortunately for you,' a smirk appeared on his lips, 'I have to put you in mixed house pairs.'

There were audible groans from the students, and Allegra noticed that the class was mostly made up of Gryffindors and Slytherins. This wasn't going to be fun.

Snape however, thought it was, and began pairing people so they could go and sit together.

'Weasley and Parkinson,' Ron's facial expression turned to one of complete disgust.

'Boone and ...' he scanned the Slytherin students, 'Malfoy.'

'Oh, man,' Allegra mumbled, Snape glaring at her. The other students looked on sympathetically, and gladly, Draco Malfoy was the worst of the bunch.

Malfoy was already walking to the back right corner of the classroom, and Allegra followed reluctantly. When she sat down, she noticed Malfoy smirking out the corner of her eye. She purposely turned her back to him and watched the rest of the unhappy pairs.

'No, for goodness sake, Malfoy, I'm no good at potions but at least I can read the book!' Allegra said, pointing down at the ingredients.

'I am reading it!' he snapped back.

'No look - dove ashes go in after the newt eyes!'

Allegra and Draco had started their work in silence, cautiously working around each other, but a clear clash in ego had broken out and been growing louder and louder. Draco, seeing that Allegra was right, threw in whatever he could reach causing a purple mushroom cloud of smoke curling up to the ceiling. Immediately, Professor Snape was upon them.

'Get out of my classroom now,' Allegra angrily turned towards the door, when Draco didn't move Snape added, 'and you, Draco.'

'What!'

'Both of you, take your things. I will not have irresponsible actions from 5th years.' Draco angrily gathered his things. Allegra grabbed her possessions and was out the door before Snape could have the chance to give her detention.

Allegra stormed her way towards the staircase, and up the first two flights of stairs.

'This is all your fault,' Malfoy spat, following her up the stairs, 'if you'd just let me do the potion my way we wouldn't have gotten in trouble.'

'If I?' Allegra narrowed her eyes, turning around to face him so quickly that her dark hair whipped her cheek. 'If you hadn't had a temper-tantrum and thrown things in the cauldron -' Allegra noticed that Draco was looking past her and up to the next landing. Professor Dumbledore was watching them. 'Look, just keep your toys inside the pram next time,' Allegra said, keeping her voice low.

'Remember that I'm the one with a good grade in potions, not you.' Malfoy turned back down the stairs.

Allegra turned, the Headmaster was still there, _Shit_, she thought, _he better not just punish me because Malfoy's run away_.

As she passed him, she nodded, 'Professor,'

'Allegra,' he said with a small smile.

The next day they had their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson of the year. As always, they were to meet their new teacher.

'She's from the ministry,' Hermione said as they rounded a corner, 'there's something strange about that.'

'They want to keep an eye on us,' Harry said lightly, but they had all caught the serious tone of his voice. Inside they had taken their seats without any interference from Professor Umbridge. Only in one other lesson had they been asked to sit with someone from a different house, and the teacher hadn't worried about how they arranged themselves.

Professor Umbridge began to take a register.

'Allegra ... Boone?'

'Yes, Professor,' Allegra did not look up from browsing through their new book.

'Is your father the England Quidditch Team coach?'

'Err, yes?' Allegra answered, and some of her classmates began whispering to each other. Umbridge looked at her with a strong distaste.

'No doubt you play quidditch, too.'

'Yes,'

'Such a waste,' she said, looking back at her register.

'I'm sorry?'

'It's just such a waste,' Umbridge said, looking up with a fake smile, 'there's not much point in what your father does, is there?'

'Our team is one of the top three in the world - so he's doing a pretty good job.'

'But it's not helping anyone, is he? Is he away a lot?' Allegra stared at her. 'Must be lonely at home, without your Mum or Dad.' Umbridge smiled and went on with the register.

_Allegra squeezed into the tiny gap between the wall and the back of the couch. _

_'Stay here, sweetheart, don't come out until everything is okay,' her mother knelt down in front of her. Allegra's heart raced faster than any unicorn, something was happening, but she didn't know what. _

_'I'm scared, mummy,' _

_'I know, honey, just stay there, I love you.' _

_'I love you,' _

_'Don't make a sound,' Allegra's mother stood and went to the middle of the room. Allegra crept forwards just enough that she could see her mother, up to her waist. Suddenly the door flew open and Allegra's mother gripped her wand ready. _

_'Do you know how many Death Eaters you have put in Azkaban, Samantha? Far too many.' The voice scratched at Allegra's ear drums.'AVARDA KADAVRA!' _

_Samantha moved to defend herself, but the distance between them was two small. The room glowed green and Samantha fell. Allegra wanted to scream but her throat was dry. Allegra buried her face in her arms. _

Allegra shot bolt upright, her breathing was heavy and a mist of a sweat had broken out over her skin. Hermione was sat up in bed with a book, worry written all over her face.

'I tried to wake you, Ali, I really did.' She seemed almost scared. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah,' Allegra breathed, 'just a bit shaken ... what's the time?'

'Just after six, you're lucky Pavarti and Lavender have silencing charms on their beds; they're more grumpy than manticore with a thorn in it's paw when they are woken up early.'

Allegra sat there for a moment as Hermione read her book. Then she sighed.

'Do you want to talk about it?' Hermione asked softly.

Allegra shook her head. 'It was that dream, about my Mum, I told you about.'

'I thought you only had those when you were little?'

'I did,' Allegra frowned, 'until now.'

The next potions lesson, Allegra resolved to be on her best behaviour. She had not spoken a word since she had entered the classroom and not even looked at Malfoy since he had come in.

'You will each be assigned a paired project on an everyday potion,' Snape said, standing at the front of the dark classroom, his greasy hair hanging over his face, 'as a pair, you must write an essay including what it does, good and bad effects, when you would use it, and how to make it.' Allegra wrote notes down in her workbook. 'On Friday you will give in your essays and make the potion. Pairs will be the same as they are now, no exceptions.'

_Great_, Allegra thought. Ron glanced at her with longing. Snape started to give pairs their potions. Some pairs started to make arrangements to meet and do the essay, Allegra resolved to wait for Malfoy to talk to _her_. Snape swept up beside their desk.

'You two will be doing Black Fire Potion,' Allegra put her head down and wrote it down.

'We'll have to meet up and do this.' Malfoy said through gritted teeth.

'Yep.' Allegra turned to look at him. 'When and where?'

'Library, tomorrow at 4pm?'

'Okay.' She nodded curtly.

'Love Potion. I think he's done it on purpose. You should see the looks she gives me, she's going to spike my drink with it, I know it.' Ron ranted as Allegra took a seat next to Harry for lunch.

'I'd watch out, Ron, if I were you. Next thing you wake up in Pansy's bed.' Harry grinned.

'Don't Harry,' Ron squeaked, 'it's not even funny.' Ron turned slightly green. 'I finally feel sorry for Malfoy, having that thing hanging onto you wherever you go, I wouldn't bare it.'

'He probably likes it,' Allegra said, putting food on her plate, 'having someone treat him as a god. I doubt he notices if she's creepy.'

Draco Malfoy was waiting for Allegra outside the Library. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his blonde hair had fallen down over his eyes.

'Hey,' Allegra grimaced when Draco hadn't noticed her.

'Hey,' he said instinctively, then looking confused at how it had happened.

Allegra and Draco walked into the library to find a table, a few students noticed and watched, confused as to why they would be together.

'Everyone's looking at us,' Allegra said through gritted teeth, glancing at Draco.

'It's just because we're hot, keep walking.' He pushed her forward a little, hurrying her towards the rows of bookshelves. Once out of the foyer, they could relax and found a table in a corner near the potions section. Allegra got out her notes while Draco went to find a book they could use. Draco found the information while Allegra wrote. It took them under an hour to have the work done and ready for Friday.

'Thanks,' Allegra smiled lightly as they left the library. Draco frowned, so she added, 'for not being a douche and just getting the work done.'

'Oh,' he shrugged, 'well I'm actually pretty good at potions and want it to stay that way.'

She nodded. _Fair enough._

'Bye,' he mumbled as he walked away. Allegra didn't bother.

'Now I have all of your essays, I would like you to make your potions from your textbook.' Snape told the class. Ron glanced round at Allegra and grimaced, glancing at Pansy's back. Allegra stood and let Draco take the lead on making the potion. Not because she wanted to get along with him, but because she was just _horrible_ at potions and he could actually help her. If he read the book properly. After about an hour Draco had successfully made the potion, he occasionally asked her to add something, she guessed so that she had a chance to do something.

'It's got to simmer for ten minutes then it's pretty much ready.' Draco said. He sat down in his seat and Allegra followed suit. The silence between them was awkward, so Allegra decided to break it - even if it eventually led to an argument.

'So you're pretty good at this potions thing, huh?'

He nodded, picking at the edge of the desk. 'That's what I said before.'

Allegra looked away and rolled her eyes, he was so obnoxious.

'You're not?' He looked at her as though it was a question but had stated it when he spoke.

'Nope, I can't cook either.' Draco raised an eyebrow.

_Probably hasn't had to cook anything in his life_, she thought.

'Just quidditch, then?'

'What?'

'Just quidditch that you're good at.'

That was both a complement and an insult, she didn't know how to respond.

'And History of Magic,' she said. Draco snorted.

'What?'

'I don't know, I just always get an O.' He snorted again, and when a more comfortable silence fell, they both let it settle.

'Well done ... that's an O level potion.' Snape looked surprised, and then nodded at Draco. Allegra turned to him and smiled.

'What?'

'I've never gotten an O for potions before.'

'Never?' Draco looked at her in disbelief.

'Not for anything worth brewing,' she smiled at the table. Draco didn't say anything.

The next day Hermione had left Allegra a note to meet her down in the common room and then they would go to breakfast.

'Allegra,' Fred called, following her and Hermione out the portrait door, 'what are you doing today?'

'Some homework with Hermione and then, I'm not sure.' She smiled, clearly leaving the door open for him to continue his train of thought.

'Do you want to hang out for a bit? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages.' It wasn't a strange request, Fred and Allegra had been friends since they were children, but he hadn't wanted to 'hang out' for a while.

'Sure,'

'Great, meet in the common room at ...'

'Two?'

'Great, see you then,' Fred grinned and darted back towards the common room. Hermione frowned.

'I think he's got an agenda,'

'So do I,' Allegra agreed, furrowing her brows.

'See you later, Ali,' Hermione looked at Allegra meaningfully. _Yes, I'll tell you everything later_.

Fred was sat in an armchair talking to a few young students who looked at him with admiration. His fame far proceeded him, just the way he liked it. He was funny and he knew it.

'Hey,' he smiled, seeing Allegra, 'you ready to go?'

'Yeah, have you got something in mind?'

'Yeah actually, fancy a bit of flying?'

'I'll get my broom,' Allegra smiled, turning towards the girls' stairs.

Allegra and Fred spent most of the afternoon messing around on their brooms, racing each other and showing off. Allegra was always a pleasure to watch fly, she was so natural on a broom, it was as though she was flying and just carrying the broom along. It wasn't surprising, her dad had her sat on a broom with him as soon as she could stand on her own two feet, but that didn't stop Fred and passers by from stopping to watch.

It was easy for Allegra and Fred to be together, there was no effort to make conversation and no worrying if someone would be hurt by the other's teasing. When they eventually decided to come down, Allegra stood up on her broom and jumped off.

'Allegra!' She landed on her feet and laughed, her broom in her hand as she had pulled it down with her.

'What?'

'Give me a bloody heart attack,'

'You should know me better than that. I'm like a cat, I always land on my feet. I guess I'll have to wait and find out about the nine lives.' He gave a relieved laugh and they both walked inside to dinner.

That evening was Gryffindor's turn for quidditch practice. After practice Allegra and Harry sat together in the almost empty common room, chatting happily by the fire. It seemed somewhat of a novelty to Allegra, Harry almost always had somewhere to be the past few weeks. Ron had had to stay behind after practice to do extra training with Angelina. She had been pushing him harder and harder the past few practices, and Hermione had gone to retrieve him.

Harry and Allegra had a special bond. Mostly because they had had both lost people close to them, but they had been friends since first year and had depended on each other a lot during fourth year while Ron and Hermione were arguing. But lately it had been different.

'I saw Luna today,' he said.

'Yeah?' she prompted, she hadn't seen Luna recently.

'She was in the forest feeding the thestrals.' The obvious question to Allegra was _what were you doing in the woods? _but she refrained.

'Thestrals?' she asked, unfamiliar with the word.

'Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Those horses that pull the carriages,'

'Our imaginary horses,' Allegra smirked.

'Only people who have seen death can see them. That's why only you, me and Luna can see them.'

'We're not insane!' Allegra cheered, making light of a dark conversation.

'Ask Luna, or I'll take you to see them, if you like.' A tapping on the window caught Allegra's attention. She opened the window and small brown owl dropped a letter at her feet.

'It's for Ron,'

'What's for me?' Ron had just returned with Hermione, who was looking a little flushed.

'This,' she handed him the letter. They sat down around the fire and watched as Ron opened and began reading the letter. After a few moments, Ron looked up at Harry who had been reading the letter with him over his shoulder.

'Well, if you want to - err, what was it? - oh yeah, 'sever ties' with me I promise I won't be violent.'

'Hey, let us see,' Allegra said, taking the letter from Ron.

_Dear Ron, _

_I have only just heard (from no less a person than the Minster for Magic himself_,_ who has it from your new teacher, (Professor Umbridge) that you have become a Hogwarts Prefect. _

_I was most pleasantly surprised when I heard this news and must firstly offer my congratulations. I must admit that I have always been afraid that you would take what we might call the 'Fred and George' route, rather than following in my footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some real responsibility. _

_But I want to give you more than congratulations, Ron, I want to give you some advice, which is why I am sending this at night rather than by the usual morning post. Hopefully, you will be able to read this away from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions. _

_For something the minister let slip when telling me you are now a prefect, I gather that you are still seeing a lot of Harry Potter. I must tell you, Ron, that nothing could put you in greater danger of losing your badge more than continued fraternization with that boy. Yes, I am sure you are surprised to hear this - no doubt you will say that Potter has always been Dumbledore's favourite - but I feel bound to tell you that Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer and the people who count have a very different - and probably more accurate - view of Potter's behaviour. I shall say no more here, but if you look at the Daily Prophet tomorrow you will get a good idea of the way the wind is blowing - and see if you can spot yours truly! _

_Seriously, Ron, you do not want to be tarred with the same brush as Potter, it could be very damaging to your future prospects, and I am talking here about life after school, too. As you must be aware, given that our father escorted him to court, Potter had a disciplinary hearing this summer in front of the whole Wizengamot and he did not come out of it looking too good. He got off on a mere technicality, if you ask me, and many of the people I've spoken to remain convinced of his guilt. _

_It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter - I know that he can be unbalanced and, for all I know, violent - but if you have any worries about this, or have spotted anything else in Potter's behaviour that is troubling you, I urge you to speak to Dolores Umbridge, a truly delightful woman who I know will be only too happy to advise you. _

Allegra stopped reading.

'What a load of shit,' she said, Hermione took the letter to keep reading, 'that boy has something wrong with him.'

Hermione was soon done, and handed Ron the letter back with an expression that was a mix of anger and stunned.

'He is -' Ron said through gritted teeth, tearing Percy's letter in half, 'the world's -' he tore it into quarters, 'biggest -' he tore it into eighths, 'dick.' He threw the pieces into the fireplace.

'I wasn't going to be rebellious this year, but now I think I will.' Allegra grinned. 'There's just something about Percy that makes me want to smash things.'

Harry had been watching the pieces of the letter curl and burn, but he suddenly slid off his chair and onto the floor.

'What are you doing?' Allegra asked, watching him search the fire with his eyes.

'I thought I saw Sirius' head in the fire.' He said. This could have been quite alarming had it not been a form of communication they had perviously used. They both looked for a few minutes but then dismissed it as a coincidence. They were talking to Hermione when she broke mid-sentence.

'Sirius!' she said in a loud whisper.

Allegra span around and there in front of her was Sirius' face.

'I was starting to think you'd go to bed before everyone else had disappeared, I've been checking in every hour.'

'You've been appearing every hour?' Harry asked.

'Yes, but just for a few seconds to see if it was just you four.'

'Are you sure you weren't seen?' Hermione asked anxiously.

'Well, I think a first year may have got a glimpse of me, but by the time she looked back I had gone; she probably thought it was an oddly shaped log or something.'

'Sirius you're taking an awful big risk -'

'You know you sound just like Molly.' Sirius said. Hermione didn't know what to think of that. 'This is the only way I could reply to Harry's letter without resorting to code, and codes are breakable.' At the mention of Harry's letter, his three friends looked at him.

'You didn't tell us you wrote to Sirius!' Hermione exclaimed. Harry just shrugged.

'Anyway, we better get a move on, Harry - your scar. I know it can't be fun when it hurts, but we don't think that it's anything to really worry about. It kept aching all last year, didn't it?'

Harry and Sirius went on talking, Ron, Hermione and Allegra listened, while keeping an eye on the doors.

'Apparently she loathes part humans.'

'And quidditch too.' Allegra added.

'So what are her lessons like? Sirius asked. 'Training you to kill half-breeds?' he said with a slight chuckle.

'She's not letting us use magic at all!' Hermione told him.

'That figures, our information from inside the Ministry is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat.'

'What does he think we're doing, forming some kind of wizard army?' Ron said.

'That's exactly what he thinks you're doing.'

A little while later Sirius left, and Hermione and Allegra took the stairs up to their dorm.

'We need to learn defensive spells,' Hermione whispered, glancing at Pavarti and Lavender's beds.

'I know,' Allegra nodded seriously. 'I haven't done anything defensive since last year. If the feeling in the pit of my stomach is right, we're going to need to.'

Hermione nodded, 'I have it too.'

'Things are changing, and we can't defend ourselves.' Allegra's face was lined with worry. 'If only we had a proper teacher.'

'Wait!' Hermione said, her face lighting up. 'What if we start a club?'

'What, a defense club?'

'Yes, and people can join if they actually want to learn these types of spells. Better than dueling club.'

'Harry could teach us ...' Allegra suggested.

'Yes!' Hermione agreed. 'He knows these spells better than anyone. He would give us what we need.'

'He doesn't need to fight alone anymore,' Allegra said. 'Now this is about everyone.'


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: **

The next morning Allegra was on her way to charms when she noticed a large crowd of students, being the nosey sort, she joined the crowd in the courtyard.

'Y-y-you can't d-d-do this, Hogwarts is my home!' Professor Trelawney sobbed.

'Actually, I can.' Umbridge said, smiling.

'Evil little dwarf!' Allegra hissed, causing some smaller children to giggle.

McGonagall pushed her way through the crowd and ran to Professor Trelawney and cradled her in her arms. Allegra and Hermione had agreed a long time ago that Trelawney was as mad as a box of frogs and her lesson was a waste of time, but Allegra would never wish ill of her.

'Something you would like to say, dear?' Umbridge asked, watching Professor McGonagall comfort Professor Trelawney.

'Oh, there are many things I would like to say.' She growled.

_Ooo, I feel a cat fight coming on. _The murmuring crowd hushed when the huge oak doors swung open and Dumbledore appeared.

'Minerva, please take Sybil back inside.' He looked at the students. 'Don't you all have studying to do?'

The students began to scatter wildly. Allegra started back on her walk to charms, reflecting on what had just taken place.

That weekend they had arranged to meet in Hogsmeade with some other students who had expressed an interest in joining their new Defense Club. Harry had been reluctant to the idea at first, but once he realised he was the only one who could teach it, he agreed. They had decided to meet in the Hog's Head, a tatty old pub that no student in his right mind ever went to.

'Lovely spot,' Ron mumbled as they entered, a look of disgust on his face. The pub was covered in about six inches of dust, chair were gathered around grimy tables and a chicken and goat had roam of the main room. Allegra sat down at a table that looked cleanest, and they went over once more what they were going to talk about. Hermione was going to introduce the idea, and Harry would tell them about they could learn, and Ron and Allegra would just fill in where necessary.

Ron and Allegra went to the bar to order something to drink.

'Four butter-beers, please, just leave them in the bottles, that will be fine, thanks.' Allegra asked, grimacing at the dirty cloth the old man behind the bar was wiping a glass with. The old man grunted and walked into a back room. 'Lots of young'ns in here, aye?' Allegra said to Ron, glancing at the only two other customers; two old wizards sat in a corner in the dark. Ron smirked.

The old man emerged hobbling, and put the four bottles on the counter.

'Eight sickles.' He mumbled through a dirty grey beard. Allegra paid him and picked up two bottles, Ron took the others and they joined Hermione and Harry back at the table. Harry looked nervous.

'So who do you think is coming?' Harry asked.

'Just a few people and their friends.' Hermione said, trying to see out of the dust-clad window.

'You didn't invite Blaise, did you?' Harry asked Allegra. Harry and Ron rarely spoke of the one Slytherin they knew Allegra spoke to, but it usually surprised Allegra when they did.

'Hadn't even thought of it.' She answered honestly.

'Good,' Harry nodded. It wasn't like Allegra had much of a chance to speak to him. She sat next to Blaise in History of Magic, and they chatted there. Outside the classroom they were lucky to pass each other in a hallway, let alone have a chat.

'This might be some of them now.' Hermione stated, moving a little to peer out of the window.

Sure enough, the pub began to fill, Allegra was sure that it was the most amount of people it had held in over 50 years, and even the old barman's bushy eyebrows raised.

The other students arranged themselves to face the four friends, and to Allegra's surprise she found it quite intimidating.

'Well - er - Hi.' Hermione started, standing up to gain everyone's attention. 'Well, er, we know why we're all here ... Harry had the idea that -' Harry poked her and gave her a very sharp look. 'Oh - right - Allegra and I had the idea that it might be good if we had a teacher. A proper teacher ... so that we can defend ourselves.'

'Why?' shouted a small boy at the back.

'Because You-Know-Who is back, you bloody idiot.' Ron snarled.

'Says him.' Another boy said, pointing at Harry.

'If that's what you think, then why the fuck are you here?' Allegra growled. The boy recoiled and looked at his feet. 'If you don't think that you need to defend yourself just leave - if you have just come for a nosey, fu-'

'Allegra!' Hermione whispered.

'If you could just tell us how Cedric Diggory died ...' One Ravenclaw boy started.

'Look, I'm not going to start talking about Cedric so if that's why you're here you might as well do as Allegra says and go.' Harry quivered and turned. 'Come on Hermione they are all just here because they think I'm a freak -'

'Is it true you can produce the Patronus Charm?' Luna asked airily. Allegra shot her a grateful smile.

'Yes,' Hermione answered proudly. 'I've seen him do it.'

'Blimey Harry, I never knew that.' Dean said, looking impressed.

'And he killed a Basilisk, with the sword from Dumbledore's office in second year.' Neville added.

'And in third year he fought off about a hundred dementors,' Ron smiled.

'Last year he really did fight of You-Know-Who in the flesh.' Hermione beamed. People who had come for the sake of coming were starting to take notice.

'Guys,' Harry said, looking completely uncomfortable. 'Look, it all sounds so amazing when you put it like that. But it's often luck, and I almost always had help, if not from my friends then from another, it's not all as heroic as it sounds.' He looked around. 'It's not like school. When you're at school if something goes wrong you just say 'oh well' and try again next time, but when you're out there ... fighting for your life or your friend's, or watching someone close to you die, right before your eyes,' Harry glanced at Allegra and a number of people's eyes sat on her questioningly. 'Most of you don't know what that's like.'

In the end almost everyone signed up, which to be honest, had surprised Allegra, as well as Harry, Ron and Hermione. A number of close friends had waited for them afterwards to take the long walk back to the school, and Harry asked everyone to try and find a place where everyone could meet uninterrupted.

A few days later the group had been unable to find a suitable place to meet. Umbridge had closed the Dueling Club and was getting to work on stopping others, so they couldn't get an authorised place. They discussed changing the location every time - a different unused classroom. It was the best they had.

Allegra had decided to take a walk around the castle one rainy afternoon; Hermione and Harry had potions work to do and Ron was yet to do his History of Magic essay, something Allegra had blasted out in about half an hour. So there was little to do. She had found an old tennis ball and was using it to play football through a fourth floor corridor.

'Allegra,'

'Neville,' she smiled, letting him catch up with her, 'got nothing to do either?'

He paused for a moment and then nodded. _Lost_. Allegra smiled to herself. 'Have you found anywhere for -' Neville looked up and down the corridor 'us to meet yet?'

'No, I have sorta been hoping that I'd just find somewhere while walking around.'

'Me too.' Neville agreed, although Allegra somewhat doubted his ability to remember exactly where the room was once he'd found it. They turned a corner and Allegra walked towards a small spiral staircase leading up to the sixth floor. Neville hesitated, trying to find his bearings before following her up the stairs. 'Actually, Allegra, I kind-of wanted to ask you something.'

Allegra glanced at him quickly trying to see his motive but he was watching his feet, making sure not to trip up the stairs. 'Kind-of ask me, then.' Neville faltered for a moment, he was always so unsure of himself and always worried that people were actually making fun of him but he was too naive to notice. Allegra caught his eye and smiled encouragingly, and Neville's fears evaporated.

'You know the Thestrals?'

'Thestrals?' Allegra stopped and looked at him as they stepped out into a deserted corridor. 'You know what they are?'

'Yes, Harry told me you can see them, too, I hope you don't mind -'

'No, I don't care, but I wish you couldn't.' Neville looked confused for a moment, and then understood.

'Oh, thanks, I don't remember it much - at all, really,' I was just a baby.

'I guess that's something,' Allegra smiled sadly, and turned to walk on. 'My mum was an auror, so it's not surprising, I guess.'

'I'm sorry,'

'You have nothing to be sorry for.' Allegra hated that phrase. _I'm sorry_, _sorry for what?_ I'm sorry for your loss. She was sure she would use it in the same situation, though, as hypocritical as it was. There was little else to say. Neville shrunk back and followed from a distance, hoping he hadn't stepped on a nerve. He followed as Allegra made her way up to the top floor. They walked along in silence for a while, until they could hear laughter up ahead.

'Oh no,' Neville stopped. 'That's Crabbe and Goyle,'

'Don't worry, Neville, they're just -'

'No, they always do something to me,' Neville pulled Allegra by the sleeve backwards. As she freed herself of his grasp, a door appeared next to them on what had been a blank wall. Ahead, Crabbe and Goyle were close enough for their shadows to be cast on the wall at the end of the corridor. 'Quick!' Neville opened the door and pulled Allegra inside, slamming the door shut after them.

'Neville!' Allegra adjusted her sleeve with irritation. 'We have _got_ to get you some balls.' Allegra looked around at the room, it was huge, large enough to hold the whole of Gryffindor. Allegra guessed it must have been an old Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom because it was kitted out with mannequins and targets. 'I think we need to tell Harry about this place.' Neville nodded. They went straight down to the Gryffindor common room, collected Ron, Hermione and Harry and brought them back up stairs.

'Neville,' Hermione breathed, 'you found the Room of Requirement.'

'Ali,' Fred called across the common room. Hermione looked at him and narrowed her eyes, no one else called Allegra 'Ali', and she now considered the name hers. Allegra looked up and he waved her over.

'Fancy going out?' Allegra just looked at him, 'out - on our brooms, I mean.' Allegra looked out the window, it was freezing cold outside, but she nodded.

'Okay, if it makes you happy,'

'It does. Besides, you need the extra practice,' Fred teased.

'Me!' Fred stood up and pushed her towards the girls' dorm stairs so she could go and get her broom. 'I certainly don't need any extra practice, do you know who is the highest scoring chaser this year -'

'Just get your broom, Allegra.'

She complied, but continued her rant for as long as she was sure he could hear her.

Outside, there were a few other students flying around. Some were team members practicing, but the majority were just students flying low to the ground and talking.

'Allegra, Fred!' Angelina called from behind them as they walked onto the pitch. 'Good to see you out for extra practice,' she smiled.

'Just wanted to be ready for the match,' Fred nodded.

'Wednesday at 2.30pm, right?' Allegra added.

'Yes, playing Hufflepuff. Allegra, give Fred a challenge, Hufflepuff have some fast chasers.' Angelina grinned, and waved her goodbye.

Allegra turned to Fred, 'I told you I was the best.'

'You won't be saying that once I've got a bat and a bludger.'

'Oh, yeah? Get me a bat.'

They played and practiced for an hour, just until their toes and fingers stopped functioning from the cold. Allegra had given Fred the challenge that Angelina had asked for, and only taken a bludger to the shoulder on one occasion.

'I told you I was good.' Allegra said.

'I can't remember doubting you.' said Fred.

Allegra shrugged, 'just in case you ever forget.'

'You have _such _an ego,' Fred laughed, 'you remind me of Oliver Wood, actually. Did you ever play with him?'

'Yes, but I still play with him.' Fred looked confused. 'He's my Dad's Captain, he's often at my house for meetings and he gives me the odd lesson or game, too.'

'Oh,' Fred frowned as they walked into the Great Hall for dinner, 'sit with me?'

Allegra nodded. A while after she had started eating Hermione came running up to her.

'We're going to have another DA meeting tomorrow, at 8pm, tell the others.' She ran off again.

'What was that?' George asked across the table.

Allegra leaned forwards and whispered, 'DA meeting tomorrow, 8pm, the location we've told you about.' The boys around her nodded, and went on with eating their dinner.

'The potions assignment last month was very successful,' Professor Snape drawled, 'so we are going to repeat the process until the end of the year.'

_Yay_. Allegra thought. The truth was, she had come to terms with working with Draco Malfoy, mostly because he had brought her grade up about three grades. He had obviously decided to make the best of a horrible situation, and mostly sat silently next to Allegra, unless she needed some kind of help. He even put out a fire for her when she had leaned over a naked flame and her long dark hair had caught alight. She didn't enjoy his rude heckling of other students though. The only thing she had noticed was that he insulted Slytherin and non-Slytherin alike. The only difference was a Slytherin took it as sarcasm.

'You're still friends with Blaise, aren't you?' He asked her. Allegra took a moment to react, he hadn't spoken to her at all the past two lessons.

'Yes,' Allegra turned to him, waiting for his point. He just nodded. 'We've been friends since we were little, his Dad and my Dad are friends.'

Draco didn't react, it was like she hadn't spoken. _Fine_. Allegra wouldn't bother again. She sighed and rolled her head from side to side and then just looked down at her notebook.

'Malfoy and Boone you are doing,' Snape looked down at he parchment in his hands, 'Wolfsbane Potion.'

Allegra wrote it down.

'That's harder than our first one,' Draco stated.

'Oh?'

'Yeah, it's harder to make, and it's going to be all or nothing.' Draco was looking down at his notebook, making some notes. When he noticed that Allegra was still looking at him, he looked at her.

'Why?' Allegra's green eyes looked genuinely confused.

'Because if you get it wrong,' he said simply, 'they werewolf won't stay human.'

'Oh, oh,'

Draco turned his head away and smirked to himself.

'Come on, Fredric!' Allegra shouted into the boys' section of the changing rooms.

'Alright, keep your panties on,' he said, 'or not.'

Allegra pushed him away smiling, 'you're vile.'

'Yes, I guess so.'

'So what are we doing?'

'I don't know, I hadn't planned that far,'

'Not flying again, we've just done that.'

'Let's just go back to the common room and play a game.' Fred suggested.

'Wow, don't you know how to show a girl a good time.'

Back in the common room Fred entertained her with wizard-chess and other games. Fred watched her closely, trying to make sure she was laughing and having a good time.

Allegra was very conscious of his efforts, and found them slightly tiring. She just wanted to relax, but felt the need to keep up a performance for him. She wasn't sure what was different about him, but she had a good idea. Hermione had been across the room watching them. Knowing Ali so well, Hermione could see the effort it was taking.

'Ali,' Hermione said, appearing at Fred's side. 'I need to talk to you about something important.'

'Now?' Fred looked at her pointedly.

'Yes, _now,' _Hermione pulled Allegra up from her seat and walked her up to their dorm.

'Hermione what's wrong?'

'_Hopefully_,' she said, 'I rescued you.'

Allegra walked to her bed and sat down. 'I think rescue is a bit strong, but it was tiring.' Allegra rubbed her face. 'He just wanted me to keep _laughing_.' Hermione snorted.

'I think he likes you.' Allegra pursed her lips and shrugged. She couldn't say that the thought hadn't occurred to her. 'I mean, it didn't look like it, but do you have any interest ...'

'No,' Allegra shook her head, 'no, I don't. He's like a big brother to me.'

Hermione nodded, she had thought as much. Allegra sighed and fell back into her pillow. She really didn't want this to become a problem.

'Thank you, everyone, for coming to the second D.A. meeting. Today we are going to focus on a stunning spell.' Harry stood in front of the club members. 'Stunning spells are the building blocks of defending yourself. The spell we are going to be practicing today is _Stupefy_. I realise that some older members will have done this at school, but most of us haven't.'

Harry asked the group to practice saying the word to themselves.

'Great, now we can practice it.'

All of the D.A members turned out to be at least adequate, but last of all it was Allegra's turn to practice with Harry.

'Think about something meaningful,' Harry advised. _My Mum_.

'_Stupefy!_' Allegra shouted. Harry flew back and hit the wall with a thud. 'Harry!'

The D.A. members rushed to him as he pushed himself up.

'I'm fine,' he dusted himself off and rubbed the back of his head, 'I'm fine. Well done.'

'I'm sorry.' Harry shook his head.

'Well done, everyone. Our next meeting in two weeks time will be the week before we leave for Christmas, so I'll see you all then.'

Allegra and Draco had arranged to meet and do their potions work after Gryffindor's match against Hufflepuff. Allegra thought it was going to be an easy game, and she wasn't wrong. Hufflepuff had a strong attack but weak defense, and that always let them down against Gryffindor. Allegra, Katie Bell and Angelina made short work of the Hufflepuff defenses and had given them a decent lead early on in the game. Harry caught sight of the snitch about an hour in, and caught it soon after. After a wash and getting her things, she went to meet Draco in the Library. Like the first assignment, he was waiting for her outside.

'Hello,' he smiled a little.

'Hello,' Allegra repeated warily. Draco normally made a conscious effort _not _to smile at her, or anywhere in her direction. They went inside to the same table they sat at before and got started. Allegra did the writing and Draco found the information.

It was taking longer than last time, they had found a basic recipe but didn't seem particularly reliable, so Draco decided to scan through some of the more advanced level books to see if he could find anything more useful.

Allegra sat quietly for a while, but soon her mind began to wonder and she became bored.

'Can I ask you a question?' Allegra said. Draco froze and then looked up at her through his hair.

'Er - okay?'

'Do you _actually_ like having Pansy shadow you.'

'_Shadow me?_' He looked up at her properly. Allegra noticed for the first time what unusual coloured eyes he had, such a cold stone grey with a small amount of sky blue weaved through.

'Yeah, she follows you everywhere.' Draco looked surprisingly concerned by this information. So concerned that he forgot himself for a moment and talked to Allegra like she was someone worth talking to.

'She does?'

'Surely you knew that already,' Allegra smirked. 'You're her world.'

Draco's expression caused Allegra to start laughing, and a smile even flickered on Draco's lips.

'I hadn't noticed.' He looked disturbed. Draco looked back down at the book, but Allegra noticed it took him an extraordinarily long time to read through the last paragraph.

'You're right she does.' Draco said, taking his seat next to Allegra at their desk.

'Who does what?'

'Pansy, she follows me. _Everywhere_.'

Allegra laughed, 'you're the last to know.'

'How do I get rid of her?'

'How quickly?' Allegra asked.

'Yesterday.'

'The quickest way would be to poison her food, or push her in the lake with a brick tied to her foot.' Draco looked at her for a moment, as though she had been serious, then he smirked.

'Any way to keep her alive?'

'You could run?' Allegra smiled. 'It's actually quite effective. People get the idea very quickly when you just run away from them -'

'I'm not going to do that.'

'Tell her you're gay?'

'I'm not going to do that.'

'Okay ...' Allegra thought for a moment. 'If you are reluctant to harm her physically and you want to get rid of her quickly without harming your reputation ... tell her that Blaise fancies her.'

Draco thought it over. 'That could work.'

'Try it, if it doesn't work, you can return the idea and swap it for a new one.'

Draco nodded. 'Your reward is an O for this assignment.'

Allegra smiled and went to pick up the first ingredient, Draco pushed her hand away.

'Only - if you don't touch anything unless I say.'

Allegra laced her hands together in front of her and nodded. She could do that.

'Allegra!' Blaise marched towards her with a determined expression. Draco saunted a distance behind him, hands in his pockets and a big smirk on his face. Allegra watched Pansy follow, ignoring Draco completely and following Blaise. 'Pansy, wait a minute!' He turned, putting his finger up at her. She stood about five meters away, watching him closely. 'You - you are in so much trouble.'

'Why would that be, darling?' Allegra smiled sweetly.

'You know what you've done.'

'Mmm, no, I don't think I do.' She lied.

'You betrayed me, to help _him_.' She hadn't thought of it that way. If the gift of Pansy hadn't been so funny, she would have been sorry.

'Just be glad that I'm talking to him in class rather than throwing potions over him.'

Blaise clenched his jaw. He had told her repeatedly that he found having friends that hated each other a huge burden.

'Okay, but you're at Draco's mercy now. The minute he says that you tried to turn his hair green -'

'And one reliable witness,' Allegra added.

'- and one reliable witness that saw you try, you're dead. Metaphorically.'

Allegra smirked at him. He turned to walk back to Draco, and almost jumped out of his skin when Pansy jumped towards him and started hanging off his arm. Draco let them pass, the grin on his face told Allegra that she'd done a good job. Draco winked and turned to follow his unfortunate friend.

'This is our last meeting before we break for Christmas. This lesson we will be learning a spell called _Levicorpus_. _Levicorpus _is a spell that lets you levitate yourself or another. It may help you if you trip and fall during a duel or something similar. Let me demonstrate,' Harry pulled Ginny to the front of the class. He took out his wand and gently levitated her up into the air a few feet and back down. The club members clapped; he then used the spell on himself, which received the same applause.

'Everyone practice the pronunciation,' the students did so, 'good. The main thing with this spell is to _focus_, and you won't go wrong.'

Harry asked the club members to get into groups of six and practice the spell on the lightest person in the group, and the lightest member to levitate the second lightest, just to make the spell a little easier. Allegra got into a group with Fred and George, Ron and Hermione and Cho Chang. Allegra really strongly disliked Cho. She wouldn't use the word hate, but she found everything about the girl irritating. Every time Allegra thought she was okay, Cho opened her mouth and her little mousey voice came out and made Allegra shiver.

'So who's the lightest?' Ron asked. The three girls looked at each other. Cho was by far the tallest, so likely heavier than Hermione and Allegra.

'Allegra,' Fred said, pushing her into the middle of the circle.

'Whoa, no, Hermione is!'

'Don't be modest, Ali,' Hermione said quickly, 'you're the lightest.' Allegra glared at her, and Hermione avoided eye contact. They both new full well who was lightest, it was just that she didn't want to go up in the air. Fred was ready with his wand to go first.

'You two,' Allegra said quickly, turning to face Fred and his twin. 'If either of you are silly or dangerous, I'm going to -'

'She used to be more fun,' George said to his brother, who nodded and levitated her into the air. George, Ron and Hermione all found the spell relatively easy, then it was Cho's turn.

'Okay, here it goes.' Cho mumbled, as Allegra raised quivering off the ground. Harry noticed Cho was struggling and practically ran to help her. Harry helped Cho levitate Allegra higher than the others had. Cho and Harry were having some kind of a moment, and Allegra found it irritating.

'I want to get down now,' she said. The force keeping her in the air was suddenly sucked out from under her feet and she landed heavily on the cold stone floor. The other class members gasped, and rushed over. Allegra rocked over onto one side holding her ankle and hip.

'Fuck!' she shouted. _Fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck, this _hurts!

'Are you alright, Ali?' Hermione knelt down beside her, trying to look for a sign of damage.

'No,' Allegra answered honestly. Her left ankle had exploded with pain, and she had gone down hard on her hip which was now throbbing under her fingers. 'It really really _hurts_!'

'We've got to get her to the hospital wing,' Hermione said. Everyone moved forwards to help but Ron and Hermione got there first. Ron put one of Allegra's arms around his shoulders and gently pulled her up. Allegra's eyes watered, it felt like her whole left leg was hanging from her body, it was all she could do to keep her knee bent and foot off the floor. Hermione supported her on her right side and they started for the hospital wing.

'What are we going to tell them?' Hermione said, worry etched all over her face.

'I don't know, maybe she fell down the stairs?'

'Cho pushed me,' Allegra said through gritted teeth. 'We'll tell them she pushed me.' Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, but didn't argue the morality of it.

It was further to the hospital wing than Allegra had ever remembered. It had been placed on the third floor so that it was central to the castle, but struggling down the stairs was taking much too long, she held onto Ron tightly, Hermione was buckling under her weight.

'Ali can you put any of your weight on your right leg?' She groaned.

'I'm sorry, 'Mione, I just can't.' They ground to a stop.

'I'm sorry, just give me a second.' Hermione stretched her arms out. Ron experimented with taking all of Allegra's weight, but couldn't do so without causing shooting pains all through Allegra's body.

'What's happened to you?' The voice wasn't concerned, merely interested.

'I don't know,' Allegra said through gritted teeth, looking at Draco through the hair that had fallen over her face, 'I think I've broken some _things._' Allegra suddenly felt sick, and had a high pitched ringing in her ears. 'I feel faint.'

'We have to move her, Hermione,' Ron said.

'I know, but I can't take all of her weight for long.' Hermione moved towards her.

'Let me take it.' Draco said.

'What?' Ron growled.

'Do you want to get her to the Hospital Wing quickly, or not? Let me take it.' Hermione and Ron shrugged at each other, and watched as Draco took Allegra's arm and put it around his neck.

'Ali, can you hear me?' Hermione said, walking in behind them.

'Yeah,' she answered quietly, 'it really really hurts.' Allegra felt the room spin underneath her.

'Keep talking,' Draco ordered.

'I don't want to.'

'What potion did we make in potions today?' Allegra didn't say anything. Draco squeezed her hand firmly and she squeaked. 'What potion?'

'_You_ made something orange for curing some poison, I just crushed a vanilla pod.' Draco grinned.

Draco, Ron and Hermione kept Allegra talking all the way to the Hospital Wing, where she stopped talking and closed her eyes.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

'You're all set,' Madam Pomfrey smiled as Allegra walked out from behind a blind where she had dressed in clothes Hermione had brought her last night.

'Really?' Allegra grimaced, 'it still aches. It wasn't like this with my arm and wrist.'

'They were just singular compound fractures. The potion works very quickly on those. This was slightly more dramatic, it's going to take a few days before your body feels normal again.'

'Great, no quidditch for me then?'

'No, and you're dismissed from classes today, too.' She said, turning around to strip Allegra's bed and tidy up.

Allegra turned and walked stiffly out of the room, her whole left side from her waist down didn't want to move. Allegra had been unconscious from the moment she had arrived last night until late morning. Madame Pomfrey had given her a potion that fused bones correctly and quickly, but it did nothing for the soft tissue injuries, and always left the patient feeling a bit dazed.

It was coming up to lunch time, so Allegra decided to make her way down to the hall and sit and wait for her friends.

'Allegra!' Hermione rushed to her. 'How are you feeling?'

'Like shit,' she said.

'I'm not surprised, you had broken bones.'

'Yeah, but I've broken bones before and been back out on my broom the next day,' food appeared on the table and Allegra began to fill her plate, 'this is so sore.'

'It will be the bruise. You're going to go all yellow,' Hermione smiled, trying to cheer her up. Harry and Ron arrived shortly afterwards.

'How's our cripple?' Ron grinned.

'Crippled.' She scowled at him. 'Seriously, I'm hobbling. It took me about five minutes to get down a flight of stairs, I don't know if I'm going to be able to get back up.'

Harry, Hermione and Ron laughed, but Allegra was genuinely concerned.

'You get the day off from lessons though,' Harry said, 'that's good.'

'Yeah, I have _nothing_ to do.'

Harry rolled his eyes and ate his sandwich, there was no use trying with Allegra when she was consciously trying to be miserable.

'What are you going to do?' Ron asked. 'Go to sleep?'

'No, I'm not tired, I've had about twelve hours sleep, I'm usually happy with six.' Harry nudged Ron and shook his head as if to say, 'don't bother'. 'I'm going to go to the library and do some work.'

They nodded approvingly, but didn't dare comment.

As she had suspected, it took Allegra longer than she would care to admit to reach the Library. Hermione had been up to their dorm to get Allegra's work for her and come back down all in time to meet her half way up the third flight.

She had started doing her work but quickly became bored and started looking at photo-books and plaiting her hair.

'Hello,'

Allegra turned, 'Hello.'

Draco sat down at the table across from her. 'I'm meeting Blaise here.'

Allegra shrugged, he didn't need an excuse.

'So,' he said, clearing his throat, 'do you remember me carrying you last night?'

Allegra frowned at him.

'No I -' suddenly the memory jumped into her head.

*_'What potion did we make today?' Allegra didn't say anything. Draco squeezed her hand firmly and she squeaked. 'What potion?'_

_'_You _made something orange for curing some poison, _I_ just crushed a vanilla pod.'*_

'Yes, thank you.'

Draco squirmed at the sincerity in her emerald eyes. He looked down and shrugged. 'How did it happen?'

Allegra pursed her lips, since last night she had had time to reflect on the whole Cho-Chang-pushed-me-down-the-stairs, thing, and Hermione had told Madame Pomfrey that she had fallen down the stairs on the way down from the dormitory. 'Cho Chang.' Draco raised an eyebrow. 'Hermione has forbidden me from saying any more.' Allegra said. 'But it was her fault.'

'Had you broken something?'

Allegra cocked her head, 'weren't you there?'

'No, I didn't stay.'

Allegra could see it in her head. Draco and Ron carrying her in, Hermione fetching Madam Pomfrey as they put her on the bed. Immediately, Draco leaves.

'Oh,' Allegra's face fell, 'I fractured my hip and ankle.'

'Wow, that must of hurt,'

_Duh. _'That's what I told you at the time.'

Allegra got up to put a book away and get another, she hobbled to the book shelf.

Draco snorted. 'Are you sure they fixed you?'

'She said that I'd be a bit sore, but I can barely bloody move!' Allegra smiled.

Draco was trying not to laugh.

The stiffness was still hanging around two days later. When Allegra woke up Hermione was at the window, taking letters from two owls. Allegra got out of bed and stretched, her hip was starting to feel better.

'Ali,' Hermione looked up from one of the letters, 'I think you better have a look at this.'

Allegra rushed (well, relatively) to the window. Hermione passed her the letter.

_Hermione and Allegra, _

_Last night was crazy, you have no idea what you missed, but it wasn't fun. _

_You may already have heard but last night Harry had a "dream". In it my Dad was attacked by a giant snake. Harry had a feeling it wasn't just a dream, and so we went to find McGonagall. She took us to Dumbledore, (at 2.30am) and he spread word to search for Dad. _

_They found him before it was too late, and he is now recovering at St. Mungo's and should be fine. Snape took Harry away and I haven't seen him since. Ginny, Fred, George and I are at Snuffles' house. _

_I don't know what's happening about Harry and Hermione coming here for Christmas, but Mum said she's sorting it. _

_Write back if you know where Harry is, _

_Love Ron x_

_'_What does the other letter say?'

'Harry and I are leaving tonight,' Hermione and Allegra looked at each other with big eyes. There was another tapping on the window, Hermione took the letter from the owl. 'It's for you.'

Allegra took the letter from Hermione and ripped it open.

_Hi Honey, _

_I'm visiting Arthur this afternoon, he's had an accident and if you haven't heard already then you'll soon know. _

_There has been a change of schedule with the pre-Christmas games. I'm going to be away with the team until December 20th. However, I have arranged for someone to stay with you from the 10th, so you're only alone with Cassia a few days. It's a surprise so don't ask who it is. _

_Sorry, Honey,_

_Love Dad x _

'He could have just sent me to stay with you lot until he gets home,' Allegra said, passing the letter to Hermione. 'It's going to be a random aunt again." Hermione scanned it quickly.

'Maybe he had but doesn't want to add the stress now that Arthur's injured.'

Allegra turned to look at Hermione. 'You calling me stress?'

Hermione rolled her eyes and put the letters on the desk. Pavarti's curtains suddenly flew back.

'Good morning!' she sang, stepping out of bed.

Allegra ran to get her towel and jump into the shower, Pavarti _always _took too long and made everyone else late.

Allegra had helped Hermione pack at lunch time and they had gone before dinner, leaving Allegra at Hogwarts more alone than she had been in a long time. She walked into the Great Hall for dinner and had found it troubling not to find any of her usual meal-time friends. Luckily, her roommates Pavarti and Lavender were already at the table so she went to sit with them. She felt a bit mean, feeling sorry for herself for not having her very best friends to sit with, so she made sure she made an effort to join in with their gossip and laugh at their jokes.

The next morning she had double potions, and walked alone to class. Draco was already at the desk when she sat down.

'How's the hip?' He asked once Allegra had settled in her seat.

'Better, almost, thanks.' She didn't feel much like chatting this morning. It had quite disturbed her how miserable she felt without Hermione; she had always thought she relied on only herself.

'What's wrong with you?' Draco asked, upset by her ill-attention. Allegra shrugged half-heartedly, and he watched as her eyes floated over to Ron's seat. 'Where's Weasley?'

'They've gone,' Allegra said airily.

'Gone where?'

'Home.' A strand of long dark hair fell in front of Allegra's eye, she tucked it behind her ear and looked down at her workbook. 'Ron's Dad had an accident and they've all gone home.'

'All of them?'

'Yep. Even Harry and Hermione had to go because they're spending Christmas with them, but I'm not. So I'm all alone. Nothing to do.'

_That's a little melodramatic_, she thought, but if she was honest she didn't want to listen to Lavender gossip about Hufflepuff boys she'd never heard of or look at Witch Weekly with Pavarti, and she wasn't even able to fly yet.

Draco didn't move or reply. _Fine_. She wished he wouldn't do that, if he didn't want to know he shouldn't have asked. She would be quite content sitting in silence.

Snape began the lesson, and Allegra tried to focus on taking notes.

'You know,' Draco began after not making a sound for over twenty minutes, 'if you want, I can keep you company,'

Allegra whipped her head up and looked at him. 'I mean, Blaise, but I would be there - 'cos, you know - he's my friend and ... Pansy still follows him ...'

Allegra's eyes narrowed.

'He's one of your best friends.' Draco concluded. He sighed and looked down at his workbook. He'd just made himself sound like a fool, what was he doing?

'That's true. That would be good, actually, if you could talk to him.' Draco nodded, not looking up at her. 'If you were there,' she shrugged, 'it wouldn't be terrible. If Pansy's there, then that's just beyond horrible.'

Draco sniggered.

'This is ... a strange experience,' Blaise repeated for a second time since Allegra had met him and Malfoy to walk down to Hogsmeade. It was the last time the students had a chance to go before they started the Christmas holidays.

'It's not Blaise,' Allegra insisted. 'Malfoy and I, talk, in potions class.' Draco nodded.

Blaise looked either side of him and then shook his head.

'I don't care what either of you say, it's still weird.'

The worst thing was that it was weird. Talking in potions class was one thing but going to Hogsmeade together was quite another, although Allegra suspected it would have been easier for them if the other students weren't doing such a good job of staring.

'If you carry on, Blaise, I'm leaving.' Draco had reached the point where tolerance becomes annoyance.

'Right, sorry.'

Hogsmeade had been decorated with Christmas lights, tinsel and festive charms. Some areas, like Zonko's and the sweet shop, were beautifully decorated, others, like outside the Hogs Head, had nothing. The three of them spent some time going in and out of shops, Allegra made a few purchases.

Honeydukes was seething with students, some people were just there for themselves but a few younger children were buying presents for their family. The other students gave Draco and Blaise a wide birth but ran around Allegra like a maypole.

'Watch it!' she snapped at a small boy who had almost knocked her over, who just about crapped himself and ran away. Draco laughed out loud. 'Well they're fucking annoying me.'

Draco smirked and raised an eyebrow. 'I'm impressed.'

Allegra turned her attention back to the shelf. She reached out for the Everlasting-Gum at the same time as Draco and they bumped each other. Draco turned and Allegra's eyes narrowed, and then they both froze. Normally, Allegra would have told him to get the _hell _out of her personal space.

'Here,' she passed him a packet and then got one for herself. Draco made a mumbling noise and walked away to find Blaise.

Inside the Three Broomsticks it was even more crowded than normal. After waiting a minute at the bar a booth by the window became free and they rushed to get it.

'Is it just you and your Dad for Christmas this year?' Blaise asked.

Allegra nodded. 'I think so.' Allegra's family was small and they all had very separate lives. Occasionally a grandparent would show up but it was rare. Her Dad's parents were spending their elder years traveling the world and hadn't returned to the UK for two years. They met her Dad abroad sometimes but Allegra was either at Hogwarts or at home. Her mother's Dad had remarried a muggle and no longer used magic. She had an aunt on her mother's side but she hadn't seen her since becoming a teenager. It was far more likely that her father's friends or colleagues would be invited over than their family.

'What about you?' She looked between the two boys so that either could answer.

'Just the usual,' Blaise said, 'me, mum, a man of some description and then after lunch I go to Dad's where I try and pretend I'm part of the family.'

Blaise's mother was a socialite. She had been born into money but had doubled her fortune through her romantic escapades with hugely wealthy wizards. She had been married and divorced three times and seemed to have a different man every time Blaise spoke to her. His Dad had been a summer romance when his mother was only sixteen and although they had kept Blaise his mum had never seemed to quite grasp being a mother. Of course his father had gone on to get married and have his own family and now had three children all less than half Blaise's age.

'And you?' Allegra looked at Draco.

'Oh the usual,' Blaise smirked knowingly. 'Just me my mother and father. They shower me with gifts and I smile and give them presents - mum loves hers - or at least pretends to and my father shows no appreciation at all, and then usually we eat in silence.'

'The perfect Malfoy Christmas,' Blaise smiled. Draco didn't mirror the humour.

'So, how have you enjoyed the Blaise and Draco experience?' Blaise smiled later that evening.

'I think we should ask you how you enjoyed the Draco and Ali experience,' Allegra reversed.

'It was enjoyable.'

'I think we did good.'

'We did better than good,' Draco added, 'we're a miracle.'

Blaise and Allegra laughed.

'Well you've got what you've always wanted, Blaise,' Allegra smiled, 'I don't hate him.'

'You don't hate me?' Draco looked at her.

'I thought that would be obvious,'

'Do you hate her?'

'... No, I guess not.'

'Is that a guess not because you're lying, or because you hadn't thought about it?' Draco pondered, it for a moment. 'Or is it just that you knew that already and it's hard to say out loud?'

Draco nodded, 'it's admitting I've got a problem that's difficult,'

'Hey!' Allegra frowned.

Not everyone was as happy as Blaise to see Allegra and Draco together outside of their school work. Actually, no one else was happy about it. If it hadn't been for Blaise's presence and his well known friendship with Allegra, Allegra and Draco would have been shunned by by the whole school.

'What do you think you were doing today?' Pavarti started as soon as Allegra was through the door to their room.

'Spending the day with Blaise,' Allegra said, walking over to her bed and taking off her coat. She hoped that having Hermione's bed in between herself and her remaining two roommates would give her an advantage. It didn't.

'And ...' Lavender continued as both girls sat down on Hermione's bed.

'Someone else.'

'Draco Malfoy!' Pavarti exploded. 'What the hell were you thinking?'

'I was there with Blaise. Draco was there, it's no big deal.'

'_Draco_?'

'No big deal?' Pavarti's eyes were wide. 'Allegra, listen to yourself!'

Allegra shook her head, irritated. 'I didn't go to be with him!'

'It's the history, Allegra. Harry, Ron and Hermione would crucify you for this!'

'But they're not here, are they!' Allegra growled.

'You'll regret it, that's all.'

'No I won't.' Allegra said firmly. She wondered why it why it really mattered, and why the hell they thought it was any of their business. It wasn't like she'd chosen to go with Draco over going with someone else, they barely spoke to each other! They shook their heads and got up. 'You can't hate me because I spoke to someone you don't like.'

'No, but we can be annoyed with you.'

_Fuck you. _Allegra couldn't be bothered with this, she closed the curtains on the side of the room that faced everyone else and shut them out.

Pavarti and Lavender were still angry with her when it was time to get the train home, and so she found herself boarding and the train alone, and even sat in a compartment that only had three Hufflepuff first years who were content ignoring her and her them. After about half an hour on the train Blaise found her. She had told him about the fight she had with Pavarti and Lavender and asked him to keep it to himself.

'I knew you'd be on your own,' he said as he pushed the door open, 'that's so like you. You have a fight with someone but instead of finding your other friends you'll sit on your own.'

'These are my friends.'

'Really,' Blaise folded his arms and leaned in the door way, 'what are their names?'

'This is Lola, Theo, and Katrina.'

Blaise looked at the children, 'what are your names?'

'Tia, Ryan, Angelica.' The first girl pointed.

'I can't believe you'd do that to me, Lola!' The children laughed.

'Come on, come and sit with me.'

'Is Draco there?'

'Yes.'

'I don't think I should.' Blaise rolled his eyes and got hold of Allegra's bag. 'Come on, you have got to stop caring about what people think of you.' He picked up Allegra's owl, Midnight, and stepped out into the passage.

'Goodbye Lola, Theo, Kat,'

'Bye!' they called.

Allegra followed Blaise through three carriages before he stopped outside his cabin. He opened the door and allegra caught a glimpse of Pansy Parkinson.

'Oh, _hell_ no,' Allegra tried to walk the other way.

'That's funny,' Blaise frowned opening the door, 'Midnight seems to want to come with me,' he held the cage in the compartment.

Allegra sighed and dragged herself back to him.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Inside the carriage Pansy Parkinson sat leering at Allegra from one of the middle seats, Draco was by the window on the opposite side to Pansy and didn't look round when Allegra entered. The two seats near the compartment door was filled by Draco and Blaise's owls and Pansy's white cat in its basket. Blaise put Midnight's cage next to the other owls and they all ruffled their feathers. Allegra quickly jumped into the seat next to Draco, the idea of spending the next four hours sat next to Pansy made her sick.

'That's a beautiful smile, Pansy, it's good to see you too.' Pansy scoffed and looked down at an issue of Witch Weekly that was in her lap. Blaise lingered for a moment and then sat down next to her. Draco finally turned to greet Allegra with a small smile.

'She was sat by herself,' Blaise told him, 'you're paying for my lunch.'

Draco rolled his eyes. 'What were you doing on your own?'

'I had a fight with Pavarti and Lavender.'

'You knew about this,' Draco said, turning back to Blaise, 'you hustled me!' Blaise shrugged. 'What did you fight about?'

'Girl stuff,' Allegra said dismissively, watching as Pansy slide herself closer to Blaise and he became trapped between her and the corner.

About an hour later Pansy went to buy her lunch, leaving the remaining three in the cabin.

'You missing her already, Blaise?' Allegra teased.

'This is all your fault.'

'No it's not!' she laughed, 'Draco asked me how to get rid of her.'

'It's not mine!'

'It's definitely yours, Allegra, you pointed it out to him in the first place. He was blissfully ignorant before.'

'Well it's your problem now.' Allegra looked back down at her book.

Draco smiled.

'Stop looking so smug, Malfoy,' Blaise narrowed his eyes, 'once she actually listens to me and knows that I don't fancy her she'll be back on you quicker than Allegra -'

'careful,' Allegra warned.

'- gets on her broom.'

Allegra turned to Draco, 'if that happens, I think it's time to go for the brick from the ankle.'

Draco nodded, 'you can be my accomplice.'

'With pleasure,' Allegra grinned.

Pansy threw the door open, 'Blaise look, they had his and hers cookies!'

Allegra had said goodbye to the Slytherins on the train so she wouldn't be seen with them on the platform. She didn't want to do any more harm to her friendship with her roommates.

'Cassia!' Allegra waved, hurrying to meet the house-elf. Cassia stood sheepishly at the back of the platform, not in rags, but in Allegra's old t-shirt and skirt, holding a small straw hat in her hands and fiddling with it.

Cassia had been given her freedom shortly after Allegra's mother's death as she had been her true master and they no longer had the original family house. She had always been well treated and had stayed on to help look after Allegra and their house.

After an initial greeting Cassia held out her hand. Allegra held it, and with a loud crack, they apparated.

They appeared on the long drive way to the mansion. They lived in the country but the house was mostly white. It stopped itself sticking out like a sore thumb by having a half-mile drive and lots of shrubbery that also helped hide them from prying eyes, although there was rarely anything to see at the front of the house. The back garden and land was well hidden from the road and no footpaths crossed the farmland behind the property. They could even play quidditch without any kind of glamour when the farmer wasn't in the fields.

They walked to the house and onto the marble porch, Allegra opened the door and let Cassia hurry inside before her. In the entrance hall everything was spotless, the marble floor looked brand new and all the side tables gleamed. Allegra put her luggage down, opening the door on Midnight's cage. The black owl swooped out and around the hall, stopping to perch at the top of the stairs that curved in a horseshoe to a platform that connected to the upstairs hall. Cassia had walked to the kitchen the moment they were through the door, so Allegra followed her down the right arm of the house, passing the dining room doors and the door to her father's office; the one room Cassia wasn't allowed to clean incase she ruined his organised mess. Cassia loved to clean, but with only one or two people in the house at a time there wasn't always a lot to do. Allegra and her father were naturally untidy with their things so when they were both home Cassia would come to life, bustling to clean up and prepare meals. Cassia had her own room next to the kitchen, inside it was like a small apartment without a kitchen, and she had filled it with bright and shiny objects that all had their own place and according to Cassia, always needing dusting.

In the kitchen Cassia was preparing a plate of snacks that would tide Allegra over until dinner was ready, which she immediately set to preparing even though Allegra wouldn't be eating for another two hours or so. Allegra chatted to her about school and Cassia gave her an update on her and Allegra's father's lives.

Allegra went upstairs to her room to put her luggage away and found an owl tapping on the balcony door window. Midnight was on her perch eating whatever it was that Cassia had to put in her bowl (Allegra didn't want to look too closely) and ignoring the little owl at the door. Allegra got a few treats from her desk and opened the door. The owl fluttered in front of her, impatient. Allegra took the letter from it and put a few treats on the floor, the owl jumped with excitement and set about eating. Allegra closed the door and sat down at her desk to read the letter.

_Dear Allegra_,

_This is a little letter from us (Harry, Ron and Hermione) here! _

_We hope you were okay at school with out us. Arthur's recovery is going well and he'll be at home soon. We will send our presents over on Christmas Eve and you can send yours back with the owls. We hope you have a good time at home with your Dad and that the mystery visitor is a welcome one! We love you x _

_Padfoot - Hope you are well. I'm sorry you aren't here to have Christmas with us but I'm sure you and your Dad will have fun together at home, send him my best Christmas wishes. Hopefully you can come round again in the summer. Hermione is organising for all of us to send you our presents on Christmas Eve, so prepare for a lot of owls! I'm afraid my present may be a little crummy, but due to not being able to leave the house it was difficult to go shopping and now Molly has completely forbidden me from leaving. I hope you have a lovely Christmas, see you soon, love Padfoot x _

_Fred, George and the rest send their love! _

_Everyone x _

Allegra opened her desk to get some paper and a pen and set about writing a reply.

_Dear Everyone! _

_Last week of school was awful without you, I had an argument with Pavarti and Lavender on the Saturday so spent most of it alone. I'll tell you about it when I see you. _

_Padfoot - it's just me and Cassia for two days and then Dad has a 'surprise' person coming to babysit me for ten days until he gets back from Europe. I will definitely come in the summer, you need the complete set! You know whatever your present is I will love. _

_I'll send the presents over with the owls,_

_Love you, _

_Allegra x _

Soon dinner was ready and Cassia and Allegra sat down to eat in front of the TV (which would work as long as Cassia didn't get too close).

The next day Allegra decided to go to the local city to do her Christmas shopping. The best part of going shopping with Muggles was that she got to use her Dad's credit card. It was so much easier than carrying around lots of coins, she wished the wizards had them, too. It had taken almost all day to go through the muggle shops and pop into the Wizard area of the city where she had bought some magic wrapping paper where the pictures move.

She had gotten Tonks some muggle girly DVDs that she had wanted for the TV Arthur had given her for her birthday. Sirius, 200 of the best every day sweets. Fred a big joke book that he had been talking about but had said it was too expensive to ask his parents for. George was getting 1001 of the best pranks. Harry a quidditch book, a care-for-your-firebolt set and a couple of signed posters of quidditch players her Dad always brought her after competing away. Hermione books she had been hinting at since October, Ron t-shirts and jumpers, which would hopefully save him from the famous Weasley jumper situation. Ginny a new diary, stationary and perfume. Muggle chocolates for Arthur and Molly, and Charlie a few quidditch bits. Allegra's Dad only wanted Cologne and he had said that he had got Blaise and Oliver a present but while shopping for Ron she'd seen a jacket that was perfect for Blaise and gotten a little carried away. If she decided that professional quidditch or becoming an auror didn't work out for her she'd try styling men for a living; there would be a lot of perks to that.

When she returned there was a letter for her on the round table in the middle of the entrance hall.

'What's this?' she asked Cassia, who had just appeared.

'It came with the muggle post,' she said walking past and disappearing into the opposite end of the house. Allegra studied the letter, there were strange stamps over it and the actual stamps had pictures on them. Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

_I know who this is from_.

Allegra went to the living room and sat down on the couch, quickly opening the envelope.

_Hey Ali! _

_I've been hearing a lot about you lately! I'm sorry we've not talked in such a long time and I promise we'll see each other soon. How are you? I am well as always, I hope your holidays are not going to be too boring while your Dad's on the continent with the team, but I'm going to one of the matches to meet him. I'm staying here for Christmas. _

_A few weeks ago I received a letter from he-who-shall-not-be-named (other than you-know-who) telling me to stop writing to you and that I'm corrupting your mind. Apparently you're following in my footsteps. I'd argue that you're following your Dad's, but you know Percy. Anyway I wrote a rude and sarcastic letter back and mentioned repeatedly that just because I was your favourite Weasley he didn't need to be jealous. He hasn't replied, yet. I assume you had the same kind of reaction? _

_Yours always, _

_Charlie x _

Allegra grinned. Charlie was 22 now and they were still close, even though they hadn't seen each other for over a year.

_Hello Mr. Charles, _

_I'm good thank you! Where do you get information on me? I hope you don't spend your nights finding out things about me rather than going out and meeting girls, I know you are in love with me but I really think we should wait until I've left school! Speaking of girls, are you _still _single? _

_If we don't arrange to see each other this year I am going to fly to you on my broomstick. _

_I have a 'surprise' baby sitter coming tomorrow. Oh, how exciting that will be. (note: sarcasm). I hope your Christmas is a good one and you're not lonely, Percy is spending his alone. We're all doing our best to ignore him. Ron tore up the letter from him straight away. _

_Awaiting your reply, _

_Your Favourite Female x _

That was going to have to go by muggle post.

The next day Cassia spent decorating the house while Allegra waited for the guest to arrive and went flying outside for an hour. She came back inside frozen, and decided to sit in the den by the fire.

'Um, Allegra?' Cassia said, opening the door. Allegra turned and behind Cassia, stood her guest grinning from his crutches.

'Oliver!' Allegra jumped up and went to give him a hug. 'What are you doing here? What happened to you?'

'Bad fall and fractured a few vertebrae and ribs, vertebrae take a lot longer to heal even with the potions I've got to take it's going to be another month before I'm back to normal.'

'So basically, Dad's got you here so I can take care of you?'

'I think so,' Oliver nodded, 'he doesn't trust me not to do something stupid.'

'I'm probably not the best person to stop you from doing something stupid.'

Oliver shrugged. 'Well come on then, you need to go and get ready.'

'Ready for what?'

'I'm taking you out to a muggle restaurant.' He stated. 'You've got half an hour. Go get ready.'

Cassia came to help Allegra get ready. Since Allegra was still too young to do magic outside of school, she needed someone to do her hair as she didn't have enough time to get ready without it. She showered and then Cassia dried and put her hair in relaxed curls. She dressed and met Oliver in the hall. They apparated to just outside the town and walked (well, Oliver mostly hobbled in his crutches) to the restaurant.

'So, got your eye on anyone at school?' Oliver asked over a mouthful of pasta.

'No,' Allegra said. Oliver snorted.

'That sounds absolute,'

'It is. I'm not interested in anyone at the moment.'

'That's ... unusual, for you.'

'I know, should I be worried?'

'No, no. I'm sure you'll be back to normal soon.'

'What about you, seeing anyone?'

'Not recently.' Oliver looked down at his food. 'I just don't have the time to date someone regularly, we're traveling so much.'

'Mhmm,' Allegra agreed over a mouthful of food, 'well, I guess there's no rush. You're only just nineteen and your quidditch career needs your full attention.'

'I wish everyone agreed with me like that, my non-quidditch friends have all hooked up.'

'Well I'm a quidditch coach's daughter, what do you expect?'

'True.' Oliver smirked. 'You'll probably be joining me on the team in a couple of years.'

'I kinda hope so,'

'Kinda?'

'I'm not one-hundred-percent sure yet.'

'How could you not be? You're good enough,'

'I hope so.' Allegra sighed.

'Don't doubt yourself. You're the best Chaser I've seen outside of the professional pitch. If you were like me and got on straight from school you could leave when you're twenty-two and still have had a fulfilled quidditch career, you can do something else after that if that's what's bothering you.'

Allegra flushed, 'you read me like a book.'

'I know.' Oliver grinned.

The next morning Allegra skipped down the hallway to Oliver's room and knocked on the door. There was no reply, so Allegra just walked straight in. His clothes from the night before were strewn across the floor and he was still snuggled up in bed. Allegra noticed that the duvet was completely loose of the bed and so grabbed hold of the corner and ripped the duvet off him. Oliver woke up with a start, crawling his way up the bed and then grimaced.

'Whoa, Oliver! When did you get like that?'

Leaning up against the headboard his stomach muscles bulged.

'When did you get so determined to see me naked?' He rubbed his back and adjusted his boxer shorts to cover up more of his legs.

'When I was twelve.'

Oliver rolled his eyes, 'I don't doubt that. Can you pass me my crutches, I think you've broken my back.'

Allegra rushed to get him his crutches, and then left him to get dressed without a spectator.

Down stairs Cassia was making pancakes for breakfast.

'There's a letter for you.' She nodded towards the breakfast bar.

_Dear Allegra, _

_How are you? We went Christmas shopping yesterday and I got your Christmas present. I have to say I'm pretty proud of it. What have you been up to? Who is your "surprise" babysitter? Your Dad's mum's sister's boyfriend's son's twice removed cousin's brother's daughter? _

_Write back, _

_Love Fred_

Allegra quickly wrote a reply in her Dad's office while she waited for Oliver to find his way down.

_Hey Freddie, (I know you hate that but I think it suits you) _

_I'm great, yourself? It's Oliver! He arrived yesterday, he has broken a few vertebrae in his lower back and they take a long time to heal so I think Dad's basically asking me to nurse him (I'm not doing well so far). We went out to dinner last night at a nice muggle restaurant, those muggles do well with their static christmas decorations, the place looked amazing. _

_Love Allegra _

Allegra went up to her room and gave Midnight the letter. On her way back to the kitchen she found Oliver struggling to get down the stairs. Allegra helped him down as best she could, now feeling guilty for giving him a shock half an hour earlier.

That evening Allegra went back to her room and found a letter that Midnight had dropped on her desk.

_Hey Allegra_

_I'm alright thanks, things are fun here but I'm getting cabin fever. So Oliver Wood? England quidditch player, I suppose that's better than a distant relative. What is he, like 5 years older than you? It's a bit weird you guys alone, I'm surprised your Dad let that happen seems like a mistake to me. _

_Love Fred _

'You alright, Ali?' Oliver pushed the door open with his crutch and hobbled inside.

'Yep, fine.' Allegra said, snatching up the letter and screwing it up in a ball. 'Are you alright?'

'Yes, I just wondered if you wanted to watch that film now, what did you say it was called? Finding Pebo?'

'Nemo,'

'Yeah, Finding Nemo.'

'Sure, just give me a second to get changed.' Oliver turned and hobbled his way out. It would probably take longer for him to get down to the living room than for Allegra to get changed.

Allegra threw Fred's angry letter across the room where it bounced off the opposite wall and bust into flames, burning to ash.

'What was ..?' Allegra said out loud. That had never happened before. After a moments thought, she shrugged it off, Cassia was always bewitching things. After watching Finding Nemo they ate dinner with Cassia. Oliver's back was causing him a lot of pain despite taking all of his prescribed medication and so he agreed to watch a film in his room where they could lie on his bed and his back could get some real rest.

'You said that I'd like this film because it's manly,' He turned his head to look at Allegra, 'it's just a film for extra eye-candy for you, isn't it?'

Allegra shrugged, 'it's half and half. Ow!' Oliver had pinched her.

'I'm crippled, you can't get me back.'

'I could, I just don't dislike you enough.'

Over the time that Oliver stayed, they did all kinds of things including the cinema and he gave her a few lessons from the floor on her broom. On the 17th Oliver's back finally felt well enough to move around mostly without his crutches.

'Swimming is really good for injuries,' Allegra persuaded.

'I feel like this is just a ploy to get me topless again rather than a recommended therapy,' Oliver eyed her suspiciously, 'it is isn't it?'

'It _is_ more of a coincidence that swimming really is good for you than a coincidence that generally men are topless.'

'I thought so.'

Allegra was pleased to see him getting in regardless of the reasons. She had a sneaking suspicion that he liked the attention.

That evening they had another movie night to rest Oliver's back. Allegra pushed the two spare square parts of the sofa and slotted them into the corner so that the sofa was about the size of a double and a single bed pushed together, so that Oliver could lie down. They had chosen three films and settled down to watch them. By 1am Allegra had fallen asleep. She had started off siting up next to Oliver but had sunken down to lie next to him as time passed and her energy had disappeared. In her sleep she rolled over so that her head uncomfortably rested pressed against Oliver's arm. Oliver moved his arm and rested it around her.

The 20th soon came and Oliver, Cassia and Allegra prepared for her father's arrival that evening. Cassia was in the kitchen making finger-food for a miniature Christmas party when Allegra and Oliver entered looking for lunch.

'Just take what you want from what I've made already,' Cassia nodded to the opposite side of the kitchen. Oliver and Allegra took what they wanted and went to the living room.

'Do you want a beer?' Allegra suggested as Oliver carefully sat down in the corner of the couch.

'Yeah, alright,' Allegra went back to the kitchen and got a six pack of his favourite beer and two cans of cider for herself.

'That's not _a_ beer,' Oliver said as she set her haul down next to him.

'Well observed.'

Oliver sighed and opened a can. 'You're going to get me drunk this evening, aren't you?'

'Would the Boone's have it any other way?'

'No, I guess not. Your dad either wants me to be completely sober or completely drunk, we can't just have a drink.'

'And today I intend to continue that tradition.'

'But do we have to start at lunch time? Once your Dad gets back he'll start handing me hard stuff,'

'You're such a drama queen,' Allegra rolled her eyes, 'just because I brought them in doesn't mean you have to consume them.'

Oliver pursed his lips. 'I suppose.'

'Allegra!'

'Dad!' Allegra started running towards him through the hall, but she had forgotten about her socks and slipped on the marble and landed skidding to her father's feet on her butt.

'So you can ride your broom standing up with your eyes closed but you can't even make it across the hall?' Her Dad shook his head. Oliver walked over to meet them and Cassia came hurrying from the kitchen.

'Oliver, you're crutch-less,'

'I am indeed,'

'Has Ali been doing a good job as a nurse?'

Allegra turned to wait for an answer.

'More or less,' apart from the times when she jumped on him because she had forgotten about his back she had done a fairly good job. Mostly reminding him to take his medicine and keeping him entertained when he could only hobble along using his crutches for support.

'Right then,' Allegra's Dad, Daniel, clapped his hands together enthusiastically, 'shall we have a little Christmas?'

'I've made a buffet,' Cassia smiled.

'Fantastic!' Daniel said, 'well done, Cassia!' Cassia skipped in the air and went back to the kitchen.

'I'll get the living room ready,' Allegra said, 'wait until you see the tree, Cassia's really outdone herself this year.'

Allegra's Dad was a very excitable man. He liked everyone and was only serious if the time called for it. Allegra assumed it was down to motivating and coaching quidditch teams for most of his adult life. He wasn't like Angelina who bit your head off if you did something wrong. Daniel could be very scary when the time needed, but he found a light and fun atmosphere brought the best out of his team.

'Great,' Daniel grinned, 'Oliver, you're going to be in no fit state to go home tonight.'

'As always,' Oliver smiled a little half-heartedly, 'Ali's already started me on the beer.'

A couple of hours later and Daniel had gotten everyone drunk, including Cassia. For three people and an elf they were having a pretty good time; eating, drinking, chatting and flicking through channels on the TV. Some of the entertainment muggles liked were really weird. Eventually Daniel fell asleep on one of the smaller couches and was now snoring loudly. Cassia had fallen asleep on the carpet in front of him only minutes later, her belly and cheek to the floor. She was going to be stiff when she woke up.

'Shall we go up there now?' Allegra pointed dizzily above her. Oliver nodded and pulled Allegra up.

'My back doesn't hurt anymore,'

'It does, you're just too drunk to feel it,' Allegra giggled.

They walked stumbling, pushing, pulling and laughing up the stairs until they reached Allegra's room. Allegra stumbled into the wall, pulling Oliver with her. They both laughed and then Allegra noticed how close he was. They fell silent and all they could hear was the mumbling from the TV below.

Oliver leaned in and kissed her. Allegra's hands rested on his stomach and she breathed in deeply as his lips pressed against hers.

'Woah,' Allegra said when they parted, and then giggled, 'woops.'

'Yeah, woops,' Oliver breathed, smiling at her.

'Good night, Ollie,' Allegra smiled and opened her door.

'Good night, Ali.'


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

In the morning Allegra joined her father, Cassia and Oliver for breakfast. There was no change in how Oliver and Allegra acted towards each other, they just passed a knowing smile when she first sat down and grinned if they caught each other's eye. Oliver left at eleven, after Allegra had promised to write to him while she was at school this time and Daniel had given him his present.

On Christmas Eve morning Allegra woke up and opened the balcony doors a let in the freezing December air. She was expecting about fifty-billion owls to arrive today and her father had assigned her the job of waiting in her room for them to come and deliver packages and take away the right ones. She put on as many layers as she could wear comfortably and sat down to watch Christmas films. As soon as it hit 11am, owls began to arrive. Cassia came up every hour or so to bring refreshments and take the arriving presents to the tree downstairs.

'It's Christmaaasss!' her dad ran into her room singing, 'wake up!'

Allegra began to stir and he ran out and down the hall still shouting. _He's way over excited._ Allegra got dressed and went downstairs to help Cassia with the Christmas dinner. Christmas day was the only day that Cassia would tolerate having Allegra help her cook. Allegra's cooking skills, much like her potions skills, left much to be desired. After lunch they opened their presents. Fred was right, he really had outdone himself, he had given her a beautiful silver and sapphire necklace, which she had worn immediately. Charlie had also chosen jewellery, with a pretty bead bracelet and a hoodie that had "Hottie" on the left breast and "I Love Charlie Weasley" on the back. She'd probably never wear it outside of the Gryffindor tower but it was going to get a lot of use after classes. The other presents she received were all wonderful, and she felt thoroughly spoilt.

Allegra walked down the platform looking for a familiar face in the sea of students.

'Allegra,' Ginny put her hands on Allegra's shoulders and spun her around.

'There you are,' Allegra smiled, immediately she was pulled into a hug by Mrs Weasley.

'Allegra, it's so good to see you, I hope you're looking after yourself?' Allegra nodded.

'Wow,' Ginny said, lifting up Allegra's arm to see the bracelet, 'where'd you get this?'

'It was my Christmas present from Charlie, actually,'

'Mum!' Ginny said, 'Charlie got Ali the good stuff,'

'He also gave me this,' Allegra bent down to her bag and after a moment of rummaging pulled out the hoodie, she showed them the back.

Mrs Weasley put a hand to her cheek, 'oh my goodness,'

'And two!' Ginny continued, 'why did Ali get two presents and he gave me a t-shirt with 'Hands-Off' on it?'

'Because Ali's Charlie's favourite,' Hermione said, joining the conversation, 'even I know that.' Hermione looked at the bracelet herself. Ginny began to sulk.

Once they were settled on the train and well on their way to Hogwarts once more Allegra stood.

'I'm going to find Blaise, I won't be long, just going to say thank you.'

'Okay, but don't forget I'll be here with these two, alone,' Hermione nodded towards Harry and Ron who were having a ridiculous conversation about whether Hagrid or Umbridge would win in a fight.

Allegra had expected to find Blaise in a carriage with various people she would sooner lick Ron's feet than look at, but to her surprise he was alone with Draco.

'Hello,' she smiled opening their door, 'where's the gremlins?'

'Crabbe and Goyle have gone in search of food,' Blaise started.

'No surprises there,'

'And Pansy ran off after Draco told her to fuck off.'

'Ouch,' Allegra smiled, 'why? Wait - she's Pansy.'

Draco nodded, 'she's just ...'

'So sexy you wouldn't have been able to help yourself if she was still here?'

'No.'

'Shall we initiate plan Brick-and-Lake?'

'Yes. Yes we should. We'll start planning in potions.'

'I'll be ready.' Allegra smiled at Draco and he flushed a little, immediately looking away.

'Anyway, I just came to say thank you again for my Christmas present, I love it.'

'No problem,' Blaise smiled, 'thank you for mine, I love the jacket. It fits perfectly,'

'I have a gift for putting men's clothes on and getting them off.' They both raised an eyebrow at her. 'It's almost as dirty as it sounds.'

'So, Hermione,' Pavarti said as the four girls unpacked their trunks, 'has Allegra told you about what happened after you left school before Christmas?'

Allegra glared at her from the opposite end of the room.

'I know you guys had an argument,' Hermione said cooly. Pavarti sounded like she was trying to start another one and Hermione didn't want that.

'Do you know what about?'

'You guys were upset because she didn't then hang out with you?' Hermione didn't look away from what she was doing.

'_No_,' Lavender frowned, 'we were upset because she spent her time with _Malfoy_,'

'What?' Hermione looked up.

'No I didn't, I spent my time with Blaise,' Allegra corrected defensively.

'Allegra, stop being stupid, everyone saw you in Hogsmeade in the Three Broomsticks. You spoke to him like you had known him for months.'

'I sit next to him in Potions and we do all our paired work together, I have known him for months.'

'Allegra, it's Harry's nemesis,' Pavarti said.

'He's Blaise's best friend,'

'He didn't have to be there.'

Allegra turned away and clenched her jaw. They had her beaten.

'Did you really?' Hermione had come up quietly behind her and sat on the edge of her bed.

'Yes,' Allegra sighed, 'but they made such a big deal of it,'

'It is kinda a big deal,'

'It's not, Hermione. It's only surprised everyone because I haven't said that we "get along",' she made bunny ears with her hands, 'when we're doing our potions homework.' Hermione shrugged, obviously not sure what to think. 'It was just that day after you'd gone I felt really lonely and tired of Pavarti and Lavender's girl talk and he noticed I was sulking. He suggested he spoke to Blaise about keeping me entertained.'

'Well ...' Hermione began, trying to think what to say. 'I just hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the ass.'

'It's not going to.' Allegra said stubbornly. Hermione took the sign and backed off to finish what she was doing.

'Did you have a good Christmas?' Neville asked as Allegra walked back towards the common room after dinner after the first day of classes.

'Yeah, it was good actually, I thought I was going to be lonely but a family friend came to stay. How was yours?'

'It was alright, I went to visit my parents again ... it's okay but ... it's hard. They don't know who I am. They don't remember anything, not from before the ... accident but even my last visit. It's almost pointless going to see them, they're not the people I have learned so much about.'

'ALLEGRA!' Allegra jumped out of her skin and turned to look down the stairs, 'GET YOUR FORGETFUL ASS TO THE QUIDDITCH PITCH NOW!' Angelina screamed.

'Fuck,' Allegra mumbled, 'bye, Neville.' Allegra sheepishly jogged down the stairs and followed Angelina to the pitch at a distance. When she got their the rest of the team were hovering on their brooms looking down at her, a sympathetic look upon their faces. They knew there was a possibility of Allegra being grilled alive.

'Err ... I haven't got any of my things,' Allegra mumbled.

'Well, fucking "accio" your broom here now!'

Angelina always got extremely angry whenever someone forgot something to do with quidditch. Allegra had forgotten practice once before in her third year, but as far as she could remember Oliver hadn't punished her at all.

'Um, I haven't got my wand,'

'YOU'RE A WITCH!' she screeched, 'and you don't have your wand?' Allegra quickly looked down at the floor, hoping it would open up and swallow her. She padded her pockets checking for her wand, but she knew she'd left it under her pillow before dinner.

_I'm going to die. I am going to die. You're such an _idiot! _If I could just 'accio' it ... _Allegra was about to turn to fetch a shooting star from the school brooms when her broom appeared hovering in front of her.

'How did you do that?' Harry asked.

'IT DOESN'T MATTER,' Angelina shouted, and everyone moved on. She eventually calmed down and didn't punish Allegra in the end as it was obvious she'd been practicing over the holidays and was ready for the match against Slytherin that was scheduled for a fortnight later, unlike the rest of the team.

'How can she do this this to me?' Allegra wailed.

'Us,' Harry corrected.

'How can she do this to us?'

'She's hellbent on Gryffindor losing the Quidditch cup,' Ron said, 'without you two we can't win.'

Professor Umbridge had declared Allegra banned from Quidditch indefinitely in their DADA lesson for the cheek of putting her wand on her desk, and wands weren't allowed in her classroom.

'If she's still here next year I'm dropping out.' Allegra growled. 'I don't care anymore, I'll find something worth doing with my life without any NEWTs. And I will never regret not finishing school because she's here, and nothing is worth being here with her.'

'Ali, you need to calm down,' Fred said as he walked her to Transfiguration a few days later, 'I think you have taken it worse than all the Gryffindors put together. It has been three days since she banned you and anyone would think it was three minutes ago.'

'No, I won't calm down!' Allegra shook her head. 'It was my one thing, the one thing that I was really good at. Now I can't even sit on my broom!'

'Breathe, Allegra. You've been more spiteful to everyone than Pansy Parkinson would be if you shagged Malfoy on their wedding night.'

'It would be Blaise now,' Fred raised his eyebrow, 'right, irrelevant.'

'You can still fly secretly from the Astronomy tower, or a window,' Fred suggested.

'I'll fly whether she likes it or not! Fuck her rules, if she doesn't like it I'll go home and dad can train me with his team.'

Fred sighed and gave Allegra's hand a squeeze. There was nothing more he could say.

'Urgh, she drives me crazy!' Allegra growled. A huge vase at the end of the corridor suddenly shattered.

Fred rolled his eyes, 'before you say anything, I didn't set that up. I cannot be held responsible for what people do with our products.

'Hey Hermione,' Allegra said as she took the seat next her by the wall in the middle of the class room.

'Hey, still feeling gloomy?'

'A bit,' Allegra nodded. The other students took their seats and after a few minutes Professor Trelawney floated into the room and tried to silence everyone.

'What's she doing here?' Ron asked from behind her. Allegra and Hermione both turned to him and Harry.

'I hope she's not -' Hermione began.

'I'm here to cover your lesson!' Trelawney called across the noise, and the students fell quiet.

'Oh no,' Allegra mumbled as she and Hermione turned to face the front.

'Unfortunately Professor McGonagall has been called away and so Professor Dumbledore has asked me to step in ... considering I have not been able to teach ... so today we will be doing Divination!' Hermione and Allegra groaned. It was no secret that Hermione and Allegra hated Divination, they had hoped they had seen the last of it when they had dropped it. 'Today we will be looking into the future and seeing what love holds for you ...' She was trying to be excitable and mysterious, but it wasn't working. 'I would all like you to take ten minutes to write a paragraph or two on what love means to you.'

The students fell quiet and began working on their definitions. When Allegra had finished she looked up and around at her classmates, no one else had finished yet. Trelawney scuttled over and picked up her parchment in her spindly hands and read it.

'Brilliant, my dear!' she said after a few minutes, 'do you mind if I read it out to the class when we are all done?'

'Well -'

'Good!' She hurried away with Allegra's work.

'Actually, I was going to say no,' Allegra mumbled to herself. Hermione shot her a sympathetic smile.

Trelawney waited for the majority of the students to look up. 'I would like to read you Allegra's, I feel it really captures the essence I wanted to evoke!'

'Oh, god,' Hermione rolled her eyes.

'After we will move on to discovering our romantic futures!' She threw her arms out wide. 'Love is one of the most important emotions we feel. It can interfere with even the darkest of magics and produce strong protection. Outside of the magical value of love, love has two forms, paternal love felt between family and friends, and true love, between two people who are sexually attracted to each other. But if love is not returned or taken away then it can cause severe stress and depression. I think that for me love can only occur when you trust that person wholly and all you want is to see the other person happy. Well done, my dear.'

A few students clapped, and Allegra stared intently at her desk. 'Now, I will hand out these boxes,' Trelawney waved her wand and the boxes began to levitate to the tables, 'you must rip your work, place the pieces inside the box and add a strand of your hair and a drop of blood.'

'Her lessons always involve pain,' Hermione moaned.

'The bottom of the box will turn red once all the steps are completed and the box will lock. Slowly, your love forecast will appear on the top of the box, revealing your future!'

'It's not going to do that, is it?' Harry asked, leaning across his desk.

'No,' Allegra said simply.

'It will _not_ tell you your future partner's name, the fates will not let you change the bare fabric of time!'

Two boxes and two needles floated to Allegra's table. Trelawney passed Allegra her essay.

'This is going to be bullshit, isn't it?' Hermione said, opening her box. Allegra chuckled and started ripping up her work. She picked up a needle and pricked her finger, and lastly pulled out a hair.

'Oww!' Hermione wailed as she waved her hand in the air. She squeezed her finger for a drop of blood and then started sucking her finger.

Allegra placed the hair in the box and the lid immediately slammed shut, almost catching her fingers.

'Bloody hell, it's like a ravenous beast!' Ron recoiled quickly from his box.

'Now class, it may take a few minutes for the reading to appear on your box, so be patient!' Trelawney was looking at Crabbe and Goyle at the back of the class, who were slamming their boxes against the wall.

'What is the point of doing this?' Allegra said, turning to Hermione who was waiting for her reading to appear, 'if we don't know who it's talking about or do anything about it then why do we want to know?'

'I _think_ the idea is that you have to respect time and be happy for the hint, and one day you'll realise that it has come true. But it's divination, it's probably not even going to be true.'

Allegra looked down at her box, words were starting to reveal themselves.

'What the hell?'

'What does it say?' Hermione asked turning to Ron. Allegra put her box in her lap and turned her seat round to sit at Harry and Ron's desk.

'_It will be obvious once your heart is true, you will stop fighting and love where it is due_.'

Ron looked around at them, confused.

'Well Ron, we're not meant to know who it's talking about, are we?' Harry said.

'Then this is pointless!' Ron said, throwing his box onto the table with frustration, 'what does yours say, mate?'

Harry took a deep breath and picked up his box, which had just finished his message.

'_She's always been there, and there she will always be, because to your eyes, you cannot see. She'll wait for you, until your heart beats true, for that final end when she will have you.'_

Harry looked up, scanning their faces for answers.

'What about yours, Hermione?' Allegra asked, picking up Hermione's box from behind her and passing it to her.

'_Your lust and desire will be satisfied soon, but you must be prepared to forgive and forget, or you will regret, so listen to your heart and not your head._'

'Who do you lust for?' Allegra asked.

'No one!' Hermione snapped, her face flushing red, 'none of this it true. What does yours say?' Allegra looked at the box in her lap.

'_Follow your heart and fight the shadows, trust will give you a love unlike any other.' _

'These are stupid,' Hermione huffed. Allegra put the box on the table behind her.

'Well ... DA tonight,' Harry said, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them.

'We did one of those once, too.' Fred laughed as Allegra told him about her lesson. 'I'm sure that's all she does in her cover lessons.'

'What did you get?'

'I can't really remember, George's said something about making room for a girl amongst his games, and mine said something ominous.'

'Ominous?'

'Yeah, but isn't everything in Divination?'

Allegra nodded, 'they should just have it for people with real powers, like dreamers and such.'

'Yeah right, even Hermione doesn't bother with it, I mean, Hermione! If that doesn't prove it's useless I don't know what does.' Allegra laughed. 'Anyway, how's your potions going sitting next to Malfoy?'

'It's good,'

Fred stopped, _'It's good?_'

'Yeah, Snape has stopped taking house points from me and I've started getting good grades, too. He's really good at potions, and he helps me.'

'Allegra, you sound like you actually like him,' Fred laughed. Allegra joined in sheepishly.

'Yeah ... I like the grades.'

Once they arrived at the Room of Requirement the lesson got underway.

'_Reducto!_' Ginny shouted, and the model death eater turned to ash, sliding down through the drain in the floor. The DA members were stunned, who knew that Ginny could produce such a powerful spell first time round?

'Bloody hell, Ginny!' Ron said, a proud grin on his face as the other members clapped.

'That was amazing, Ginny!' Harry said, and Ginny blushed furiously. 'Right, your turn Allegra.'

Allegra stepped forward as a new model appeared.

'_Reducto!_' She shouted, and the model exploded, the students ducked to avoid the debris that flew across the room. Once again everyone clapped.

'Awesome, Ali,' Harry smiled. Allegra grinned and went to the back of the crowd. 'Lastly, Neville.'

Neville stepped forward nervously, 'reducto,' he said quietly.

'Come on, Neville, put some feeling into it!' Harry encouraged. He gave it another go but the model merely shook.

_Be _angry_, Neville!_

The death eater model flew back into the wall and then exploded.

'Brilliant, Neville!'

'Uh, Harry? That wasn't me,' he said nervously.

'What? Who did it?' He asked, almost angrily. Everyone looked around. A lot of people turned to Allegra. The model had exploded, just like when she had done it. 'Alright, I think we'll finish there, guys, see you in two weeks - on Allegra's birthday!'

The DA members began to disperse.

'Allegra, can you wait a minute,' Harry asked.

'Sure, Harry,' Allegra agreed half-heatedly. Surely he couldn't tell her off for what had just happened, she hadn't done anything. They sat on the cold stone steps to the door.

'I've wanted to talk to you about this for a while actually, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't all a fluke.'

'What are you talking about?'

'Have you really not noticed?'

'What?' Allegra furrowed her brows.

'Your spells are by far the strongest, you always out do everyone else and being around you is like being around a child-wizard,'

'What do you mean?'

'All these random things keep happening when you're angry, or laughing, or when your broom appeared out of no where when you needed it,'

'I don't know,' Allegra said, 'I hadn't really taken any notice.'

'Well I have,' Harry persisted, 'and I know that was you. There is no one else in the room other than me who could do the spell like that wordlessly.'

'Harry -'

'No, Ali, I'm really sure about this. I think you should talk to Dumbledore.'

'What! Why? I'm not even sure that anything's going on!' Allegra stood up, 'what am I meant to say? Hey, Dumbledore, a few weird things have happened lately but hey - we are at Hogwarts.'

'Did anything happen while you were at home? And don't lie just to prove a point.'

Allegra sighed, 'I don't know, maybe, a few tiny insignificant things.'

'Please, Allegra, you know I'm right about this.'

Allegra was still unsure, but nodded. If it continued, she would go and see Professor Dumbledore or Madame Pomfrey, she probably had some kind of virus. Trust Harry to notice it first, the boy who normally was so in his own little world you could dye your eyebrows purple and it would take him a week to notice.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Harry dropped the heavy volume down onto the table, the noise echoed through the library from the table where he sat with Allegra, Ron and Hermione.

'Allegra, that's it. We're going.'

'Going where?' Ron asked.

'You haven't been to see him yet, have you?' Harry said, ignoring the the questioning looks from Ron and Hermione. Allegra shook her head.

'I thought I might see Madame Pomfrey,'

'No, we're going. Now.' Harry pulled her up from her seat and pulled her from the library from her arm.

'Ow, Harry,'

'I'm not letting go until you're in that office.'

She went unwillingly.

When they arrived at the statue Harry said the password and dragged her up the stairs and knocked on the door.

'Professor,' Harry said when Dumbledore appeared at the door, 'Allegra would like to talk to you.' Harry jabbed her in the ribs to get her attention, but she continued to look down at her feet.

'Ahh, yes, Miss Boone, I've been expecting you.' Allegra snapped her eyes up from her feet.

'You have?'

'Yes, please come in. Harry you can wait outside or I am sure Allegra would be happy to meet you back in the common room.'

Harry turned on his heels, obviously pleased with himself, and disappeared down the stairs.

'Please, come in and take a seat,' Allegra walked inside and sat in the chair in front of his desk. 'Lemon Drop?' He offered her the bowl with one hand and put a sweet in his mouth with the other.

'Thanks,' she smiled faintly, popping one into her mouth.

'Now, by the looks of things you aren't sure of why you are here,' he said, resting his elbows on his desk and looking down at her through his half-moon spectacles.

Allegra shrugged, 'I think it might be a waste of your time, Professor.'

'I have to confess to keeping my eye on you for a while, Miss Boone, I've been waiting for you to come and see me.'

'Why?'

'I understand you have been performing magic through thought,' he said.

Allegra sucked tightly on the sweet, 'something like that, at least that's what Harry thinks.'

'Then I have much to tell you.'

'How did you know?' Allegra asked.

'The sorting hat was the first to tell me there was something special about you, it can see inside your head, of course.'

'Of course,' Allegra glared up at the Sorting Hat who was sat motionless on a shelf behind Professor Dumbledore.

'But the teachers have noticed something about you, too. You are different to most of the children, Allegra, you can perform magic without needing a wand or even thinking of the spells formal incantation. You are different to most wizards.'

'You can do that, though, can't you?'

'Yes, some of the time.' Dumbledore nodded, 'but I am a very experienced old Wizard, Allegra, you are barely sixteen.'

All Allegra could do was nod.

'Now, although at the moment it is happening by accident and it may only happen for a summoning charm or similar,' _he obviously doesn't know about the reducto I performed in DA,_ 'you could be able to all manner of spells with training.'

'Right ... so this is good, right? I mean, I won't even have to think about magic to do it. Will you be able to help me control it?'

'Yes, that is something we will begin on immediately. But first I must talk to you about the difficulties you may face and and the reason for the immediacy of our training.' Allegra looked worried. 'You will soon be able to do any spell just by thought. That includes the Unforgivable Curses. Do you remember those?'

'Of course,' Allegra averted her gaze.

'If the general public discovered this they would fear you far more than someone suffering from Lycropanthy. I also fear that if others found out about your ability they may find away to use you. If an Unforgivable Curse is used it leaves a print on the wand. With you, there would be no such evidence.'

'By others,' she swallowed, 'do you mean You-Know-Who?'

Dumbledore nodded. 'You could be framed for some awful things. But enough of that, you've been given a gift, Allegra, not a disease.'

'It sounds terminal,' she scoffed.

'It's not. You have the power to do magic without your wand. It would take something very powerful to keep you down.' He popped another sweet into his mouth. 'This is all in the future, of course,' he smiled.

'Right,' Allegra nodded.

'We've got a lot of training to do, first things first is to help you control it, so you don't destroy the whole castle if someone makes you angry.' He chuckled, but Allegra couldn't. 'I promise you, Allegra, the threat others pose you will not be as large as the threat you could pose to them.'

'That doesn't fill me with relief,'

'I'm sorry to scare you, Allegra, I just need to make it clear that you've got to be careful. You can't snap your wand in two, you need to carry on using it in public.'

'I understand.'

'I knew you would.' Dumbledore stood, 'I will arrange for your lessons to start soon after your birthday, but for now just try and control it and use simple charms when you're alone.' Dumbledore showed her to the door and let her go with a smile.

'So, what did he say?' Harry said as soon as she had entered the common room, standing up from the sofa he had been sat on.

'Your right, something is wrong,'

'What?'

'We need to talk somewhere private,' she sighed, 'where's Ron and Hermione?'

'Just around the corner, I'll get them. We can go to my dorm, if it's not empty I'll shove them out.'

Once they were up stairs Allegra relayed the information.

'So wait,' Ron looked confused, 'you don't need a wand but you have to use one anyway?'

'I need one at the moment, Ron, I don't have much control, and besides,' she pushed her dark hair out of her face, 'it makes my spells more powerful.'

'I think Dumbledore's point was that she needs to keep it a secret,' Hermione said.

'Why?' Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes, 'because, Ronald, A: she could be able to use the unforgivable curses against people and that will scare people, B: she could be easily blamed for murders she didn't commit, and C: people could try and force her to do their bidding so that they wouldn't get caught.'

'Oh ...' Ron had finally caught up.

Allegra groaned, and buried her face in Harry's shoulder.

'It's not all bad though,' he said, 'think about the future.'

'We can help you practice, too,' Hermione smiled, 'it will be like teaching a first year.'

'I guess so,' Allegra sighed, 'it cannot leave the four of us.'

Allegra woke up early after a night of tossing and turning, a deep thunder rolling in outside in the morning darkness. Her three other roommates slept soundly in their beds. It was about 5.30am, but she couldn't quite see the arms of the clock through the darkness. She tried for a time to go back to sleep, but there was something keeping the sandman away. It was a Saturday, too, and they usually slept in, but Allegra could see that wasn't going to happen for her today. The candle on her bedside table lit up. _Great_, Allegra sighed. There was the power that was probably going to get her the Dementor's kiss for a murder she didn't commit before the age of twenty.

Allegra ran her hand through her mahogany hair out of her emerald eyes, and most of her hair fell to the right side of her head. Allegra got out of bed and put on some sweatpants and a zip-up hoodie. Right at the bottom of her trunk she found a pair of trainers she hadn't worn since the summer.

It wasn't difficult to sneak through the castle at this time in the morning. It was really considered early rather than late, and any teacher would find it difficult to argue that you shouldn't be up if you didn't want to be. Besides, they had all gone to bed and the portraits, if awake, made no effort to notice her presence. She found her way to the doors that led out to the lake, and stood on the porch. The light cast was an eery blue, and the thunder had given way to torrential rain, but no wind other than the playful breeze of a storm just passed. The kind of rain that people would happily play in in the summer time. It was cold, freezing in fact, but there was no frost on the ground.

Allegra stood for a moment, feeling her hair brush lazily against her cheek and watched the dead leaves dance around her feet.

'Fuck it,' Allegra jumped off the porch and onto the path, setting off at a run towards the lake. There seemed to be so many more downfalls to what Dumbledore had told her than benefits of it. She was a pureblood witch, she instantly thought of spells everyday, for practically ... what if her anger got out of hand and she hexed someone?

The rain was an uncomfortable temperature but she soon warmed and let the water sooth her. She started on the route around the lake, and started to break free of the worries that snapped at her heels. She couldn't fly, but Umbridge would never be able to stop her from running. She watched the lake's surface ripple with the rain.

After about ten minutes she stopped running. She felt better. She walked back along the other side of the lake towards the castle. As she neared the castle she saw something lying on the hillside. She stopped, it looked like someone lying on their back looking towards the sky. Cautiously she approached, hoping that it wasn't just a body.

He was wet, almost as wet as Allegra, which proved he hadn't been there long. She relaxed, seeing that his chest rose and fell gently. The sound of the rain had hidden her approach, and sensing no foul play, sat down next to him.

'Allegra?' Draco said in surprise, after only a few minutes.

Allegra simply nodded, he looked confused.

'When did you get here? Why are you out here?'

'Only a minute or two ago. I just needed some air.' Draco sat up. 'You were alive and looked too peaceful to interrupt. I'm assuming you don't sleep out here?'

Draco sighed, 'no. I'm just out here like you, needed to breathe.'

Allegra looked up at the sky where the clouds were beginning to clear and the sun was moments from rising.

'I hope you're okay, but I'm guessing we're both a little fucked up. Sitting in the rain,'

'In February,'

'Yeah,' she smiled, 'let's keep our weirdness to ourselves.'

'Agreed.'

'We better go inside, before people get up or they'll think we spent the night together.'

Draco laughed softly, 'you wish.'

Allegra laughed and winked, walking back to the castle in front of him.

'Allegra, come on!' Hermione said. Hermione had persuaded Allegra to go with her to the Room of Requirement to 'practice' using mental magic, and Ron and Harry had come along to watch.

'Loosen up, Hermione, she's trying,' Ron defended.

'She is not! It's just a simple reparo! I saw her do it last night when she broke her mirror and she did it without even looking at it!'

'Fine,' Allegra mumbled. _Reparo_. The table mended its broken leg.

'See, you don't even find it difficult,' Hermione vented, 'you're just being stubborn.'

'What now, Professor?' she mocked.

'Now break it, should be a little harder.'

_I'll give her harder, obliterate!_ The vase shattered into a million tiny shards, falling like dust to the floor.

'Someone has a temper,' Harry said, giving Allegra a push.

'Shut up, Chang-lover,' Allegra smiled.

'I don't understand what your problem is,' Hermione shook her head, 'don't you want to control it?'

'No I do, just -' Allegra sighed, 'Dumbledore's warnings have really shaken me, what happens -'

'By practicing you'll be strong enough to face any eventuality,' Hermione retorted.

Allegra thought about this a moment. 'Okay,' she nodded, 'I'll practice.'

'It's,'

'Your,'

'Birthday!'

Lavender, Pavarti and Hermione sang at the end of Allegra's bed. Allegra sat up and smiled half heartedly at them.

'Happy 10th of February!'

'Congratulations, you're now sixteen!'

'You can now legally have sex!' Pavarti winked. Hermione frowned at her. Allegra rubbed under her eyes and ran a hand through her hair.

'What time is it?'

'Quarter to seven,' Lavender said.

'I hate you.'

'Come on,' Hermione said, 'if I hadn't woken you up you wouldn't have time to open your presents before classes,'

'I would have been okay with that.' Hermione looked like she was about to growl. 'But, now is nice, thank you, Hermione. Do I have to go downstairs?'

'Nope,' Pavarti pointed to a pile of presents in the corner of the room, 'no one else wanted to get up.'

'Yeah, I bet,' Allegra mumbled, 'right, let's do this.'

After potions and breakfast, which she had consumed quickly to avoid drawing attention to herself (the Weasley twins were well known for pulling a birthday prank) she went down to potions early and took her seat. After a few minutes other students started to enter and sit down.

'Happy Birthday,' Draco took the seat next to Allegra at their desk.

'Thank you,' she smiled.

'Here,' under the table he put two small presents in her lap, 'from Blaise. The little one's from me.'

She looked up at him suddenly, '_really_?'

'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth,'

'Sorry, thank you,' she smiled, 'very much.'

'You haven't seen it yet, it could be horrible.'

'I doubt it.'

'You doubt it?' Draco looked surprised.

'Yeah, I guess I trust you, or at least trust Blaise not to let you give me something horrible. Plus if you did that I'd punch you.'

'Yeah, I know that,'

'See, it's your fear that makes me trust you.' Allegra smirked.

'Just open the presents.'

'Which first?' Draco shrugged, it didn't matter. Allegra looked at Blaise's present, it was a silver box about the size of her hand. She picked it up and pulled off the lid, inside was a fine gold chain with a single circular pendant no bigger than the tip of her finger. The pendant was a clear crystal with a gold setting. Allegra smiled.

'He said he knew you'd like it.'

'He was right,' Allegra looked up and smiled at Draco, 'did you two go jewellery shopping together?'

'If I answer that question it rather gives away my present doesn't it?' He whispered, Snape had just entered the room.

'Just a funny image in my head.' Draco ignored her. Allegra carefully opened Draco's present, it was another silver box but this time only the size of her palm. Inside was a bracelet, it had the same tiny gold chain as Blaise's necklace but it doubled around like a train track, in the center of the bracelet was one diamond stone linking the two chains together.

'Wow, Draco,' she looked at him, 'it's beautiful, you -'

'Miss Boone,' Allegra looked up at Snape, 'I would prefer it, no matter what day it is, if you kept your mouth closed during my class.'

'Sorry, Professor.'

'_That _was the most embarrassing moment of my life.'

'Oh, come on, Ali,' Hermione smiled, 'it was nice.'

Allegra shook her head, 'would you like Fred and George to start everyone in the Great Hall singing happy birthday to you?'

'Well, no, because everyone looks at you but -'

'Exactly! I didn't want everyone looking at me.'

'Strange,' Hermione teased, 'you usually want all the attention.'

Allegra rolled here eyes, 'not that kind of attention.'

Hermione started on the last set of stairs towards the Room of Requirement.

'Are you looking forward to this?'

'Yeah, I've been waiting to see what my Patronus is.'

'Harry said,' Hermione nodded, 'that's why he wanted to do it today, he was going to wait a bit longer before starting them but he knows how much you want to learn it. He is sure that most people will be able to see something in this lesson, though.'

'Apart from maybe Cho.'

Hermione giggled, 'yeah, maybe.' Hermione wasn't keen on Cho either, and never scolded Allegra for bitching about her.

'She's always moping.'

'Yes, but Allegra, remember that her boyfriend died.' Allegra glared at her, 'she doesn't know anything about you and Cedric, remember? She's still morning him - the pure, non-cheating Cedric.'

'I guess.'

Hermione turned to give her a sympathetic smile but stopped, 'Allegra, you've gone a bit red.'

'It will pass.' Allegra put her hands on her cheeks trying to calm herself down, 'it's just talking about Cho, it makes me angry.'

'No, it's talking about Cho _and _Cedric.' Allegra rolled her eyes.

'Wow,' Neville breathed as he watched Allegra's patronus fly around the room. As Harry had expected, no one else had managed more than an icy wisp of light from their wands, but Allegra had a fully fledged patronus coming from hers.

'It's a -'

'Phoenix,' Harry finished as Allegra watched it happily. It flew around her and over the heads of the other DA members.

'It's so pretty,' Ginny admired.

'Really is,' Hermione nodded.

Allegra let the Phoenix soar over the heads of the group one last time and then the Phoenix dissolved.

'That seems like a perfect place to end this lesson,' Harry smiled, turning to the other students, 'See you all in two weeks for the last meeting before Easter break, and probably our penultimate meeting of the year.'

The other students gathered their things together and took their leave.

'That was awesome, Allegra,' Ron said as he came to wait with her for Harry and Hermione, 'is that because of your _thing_?' Allegra grinned at him and nodded. 'Now I'm jealous.'

'Come on then,' Hermione put her bag strap on her shoulder, 'let's go and celebrate your birthday.'

'She means let's go and not do any homework for once,' Ron said.

'Exactly,' Hermione said.

In the common room there was a small gathering of students waiting for Allegra to get back.

'Happy Birthday!' they shouted.

'Come on guys,' she looked at Fred and George, 'we've done this already.'

'We're not going to sing this time,' George said.

'We promise,' Fred said.

'You better not,' Allegra grumbled, putting her bag down and sitting down in a big armchair that had been designated for her.

'We've even got cake,' Ginny said, pointing to a table behind Allegra.

'We?' Fred said, 'I think you mean me and George.'

Ginny rolled her eyes and stood to cut the cake, 'I assume you don't want singing or candles?'

Allegra shook her head, 'no, I'm exhausted. I fully intend to not move from this spot until someone carries me to my bed.'

'That can be arranged,' Fred smiled.

'I think she meant by someone like Ron,' Ginny snapped, 'someone who's not going to try and get into bed with her.'

Some of the other Gryffindors laughed and Fred flushed very slightly.

Ginny cut and passed out the cake to the group and any other Gryffindor's who wanted some, with Allegra's permission.

After she had spent a lengthy amount of time chatting to Ginny and Dean about Quiddich Fred came over and sat on one of the arms.

'Good birthday?'

'Good,' she nodded with a smile.

'Did you like all of your presents?'

'Very much so.' George had given her an assortment of Weasley products and Fred had given her a necklace that when you wore it with certain pendants would do different things; there was a golden broomstick that when you wore it meant that you couldn't fall over, or a rainbow that meant that your hair constantly changed colour. Fred saw a chain around her neck and cheekily pulled it out from under her jumper, seeing that it wasn't his, frowned deeply.

'I thought you might be wearing it.'

Allegra pulled away from him and tucked the necklace Blaise had given to her away.

'It's not the type of necklace I'd wear to DA.'

'You could have,' he sulked, 'the cat.' The cat pendant he was speaking of made the wearer look particularly polished. No hair would be out of place and no make up smudged.

'I'll wear it tomorrow,' she said with some disinterest. She was grateful for the present, but she had already thanked him for it at lunch and again at dinner. Fred stood and went to talk to George who was laughing and joking with Angelina.

'What were you doing in there?'

'Fuck,' in one motion Allegra jumped, spun and put her back against the door, 'bloody hell, Draco, you made me jump out my skin.'

Allegra checked that the door to the dusty unused classroom was properly latched, and then turned back to Draco.

'Sorry, what were you doing?'

'Um, thinking,' she lied. She had really gone in there to practice a few charms wandlessly where no one would interrupt her and she wouldn't get in trouble for moving things around, also she could do it without the pressure of Hermione on her shoulder.

'Thinking?' Draco replied in an I-don't-believe-you tone.

'Thinking,' Allegra nodded, trying to sound as normal as possible. When she realised she was failing she decided to just start walking.

'So if I go back there,' Draco said following her, 'there isn't going to be some guy in there putting his clothes back on?'

'No, Draco, I'm pretty sure it will be an empty classroom.'

'Right. So you were thinking, in there?'

'We've already established I do weird things, Draco, like go running in the rain in February, but so do you.'

'It's not like getting fresh air, though, is it?'

'... No.'

'Is there something wrong?' he asked sincerely.

'What?'

' 'cause, you know, Blaise would want to know.' He dropped back behind her a few steps.

'I didn't mean you couldn't ask me that,' she sighed, 'I guess there must be if I was in there ... thinking ...'

'Oh,' Draco fell quiet.

'Allegra?' Fred was walking past the end of the corridor they were walking in and happened to glance down.

'Hi, Fred,' she smiled, inwardly sighing. Life wasn't about to get any easier.

'Where have you been? Hermione's been looking for you,'

'Don't worry, Weasley, she's been in good hands,'

'You've been with _him_?'

'No, well, yes, I guess for the past two minutes, ish,'

'Right,' he raised an eyebrow, 'and what were you doing before, then?'

'Alone. In an old classroom, thinking.' Draco smirked.

'I asked Allegra.'

'Well I answered.'

'Okay!' Allegra got the attention back to her, 'let's go and find Hermione, see you later, Draco.'

'Bye, Allegra,' Draco smirked.

Allegra got behind Fred and started pushing him in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower.

'_Draco? _Allegra?' He said, and Allegra rolled her eyes at Draco as she passed, 'since when have you been on a first name basis with -'

'Since, potions, remember?'

'Allegra, do you realise he was just being, I don't know, _nice_ to you?'

'I told you, he helps me with my potions, of course he's nice to me.' Allegra stopped pushing and started walking quickly in front of him, hoping to get away.

'There is something seriously wrong about this.'

'No there's not. Get over it.' Allegra managed to get ahead of him and he didn't try to catch up.


End file.
